GIANT LEAP

August 10, 2020

GIANT LEAP

<p>On July 20, 1969, the Apollo 11 crew successfully completed the national goal set by President John F. Kennedy eight years prior: to perform a crewed lunar landing and return to Earth.</p> <p>Crew: Neil Armstrong, Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., Michael Collins<br> Launch: July 16, 1969; 9:32 a.m. EST<br> Landing: July 24, 1969; 12:50 p.m. EST, Pacific Ocean</p> <p>Additional flight objectives included scientific exploration by the lunar module, or LM, crew; deployment of a television camera to transmit signals to Earth; and deployment of a solar wind composition experiment, seismic experiment package and a Laser Ranging Retroreflector. During the exploration, the two astronauts were to gather samples of lunar-surface materials for return to Earth.<br> Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy on July 16, 1969, carrying Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin into an initial Earth-orbit of 114 by 116 miles. An estimated 650 million people watched Armstrong's televised image and heard his voice describe the event as he took "...one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind" on July 20, 1969.<br> The first color TV transmission to Earth from Apollo 11 occurred during the translunar coast of the CSM/LM. Later, on July 17, a three-second burn of the SPS was made to perform the second of four scheduled midcourse corrections programmed for the flight. The launch had been so successful that the other three were not needed <br> Armstrong and Aldrin spent 21 hours, 36 minutes on the moon's surface. After a rest period that included seven hours of sleep, the ascent stage engine fired at 124 hours, 22 minutes. It was shut down 435 seconds later when the Eagle reached an initial orbit of 11 by 55 miles above the moon, and when Columbia was on its 25th revolution. As the ascent stage reached apolune at 125 hours, 19 minutes, the reaction control system, or RCS, fired so as to nearly circularize the Eagle orbit at about 56 miles, some 13 miles below and slightly behind Columbia. Subsequent firings of the LM RCS changed the orbit to 57 by 72 miles. Docking with Columbia occurred on the CSM's 27th revolution at 128 hours, three minutes into the mission. Armstrong and Aldrin returned to the CSM with Collins. Four hours later, the LM jettisoned and remained in lunar orbit.<br> Re-entry procedures were initiated July 24, 44 hours after leaving lunar orbit. The SM separated from the CM, which was re-oriented to a heat-shield-forward position. Parachute deployment occurred at 195 hours, 13 minutes. After a flight of 195 hours, 18 minutes, 35 seconds - about 36 minutes longer than planned - Apollo 11 splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, 13 miles from the recovery ship USS Hornet. Because of bad weather in the target area, the landing point was changed by about 250 miles. Apollo 11 landed 13 degrees, 19 minutes north latitude and 169 degrees, nine minutes west longitude July 24, 1969.</p> <p><strong>Crew</strong><br> Neil Armstrong, Commander<br> Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., Lunar Module Pilot<br> Michael Collins, Command Module Pilot</p> <p><strong>Backup Crew</strong><br> James A. Lovell, Commander<br> Fred W. Haise Jr., Lunar Module Pilot<br> William A. Anders, Command Module Pilot</p> <p><strong>Payload</strong><br> Columbia (CSM-107)<br> Eagle (LM-5)</p> <p><strong>Launch</strong><br> July 16, 1969; 9:32 a.m. EDT<br> Launch Pad 39A<br> Saturn-V AS-506<br> High Bay 1<br> Mobile Launcher Platform-1<br> Firing Room 1</p> <p><strong>Landing</strong><br> July 24, 1969; 12:50 p.m. EDT<br> Pacific Ocean<br> Recovery Ship: USS Hornet<br> <br> Courtesy:NASA</p>