Here they are: the three brave humans who flew to the moon 50 years ago. Two of them walked on its surface. The three are: Commander Neil Armstrong, command module pilot Michael Collins, …..
John Young, the “astronaut’s astronaut” who flew on six different NASA missions over 18 years, has died at age 87. Complications from pneumonia was the cause of death. With apologies to …..
Yes, the brave lads of Apollo 11 took those first big steps on the moon on July 20, 1969: 48 years ago today. Here’s NASA’s video of the big moment: #OTD in …..
WIFE MOTHER TEACHER PIONEER WOMAN So reads the gravestone of Christa McAuliffe, the New Hampshire teacher who was killed in the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger 30 …..
When Neil Armstrong first set foot on the moon, NASA had his heart wired up. You can start the bidding for the EKG at $200.
All sorts of people will be missed, of course, but these five people had a little something extra.
From the Flickr pages for NASA on the Commons, we have a photo gallery from the history of American space exploration.
The remains of the great astronaut have been committed to the Atlantic Ocean.
He was inspirational even at (very) long distance.
You should see this photo gallery of “the Armstrong the public didn’t always get to see.”
Reflections on Neil Armstrong, the moon and 1969.
The first man to step on the moon has died. Famously publicity shy, Neil Armstrong was hard to figure out. Watch him on video over the last four decades.
The final word from the audio experts: no ‘A.’
The great NEIL ARMSTRONG was born on this day in 1930.
Today is the 42nd anniversary of the first manned moon landing. Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the lunar surface, while Michael Collins kept orbit in the “mothership.”
As you can see from the above graphic (courtesy of Oregon’s Eugene Register-Guard), the entire mission was done in just 15 easy steps.
Today is the anniversary of the first manned moon landing. Neil Armstrong set foot on the lunar surface on this day in 1969. Then Buzz Aldrin hopped down, followed by paparazzi.
Astronaut Michael Collins waited in the car and started honking the horn after only about 15 minutes.
It was a simpler time, as you can tell by this fantastic graphic that describes the Apollo 11 mission:
Today is the 25th anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger exploding after takeoff and killing all seven astronauts on board.
The most famous crew member at the time was probably Christa McAuliffe. She was a high school teacher from New Hampshire, the first of what was called the Teacher in Space Program from NASA.
Also on board: Commander Francis R. Scobee, Pilot Michael J. Smith, Mission Specialists Judith A. Resnik, Ellison S. Onizuka and Ronald E. McNair, and Payload Specialist Gregory B. Jarvis.
Here’s a letter to Robert Krulwich of National Public Radio’s science blog, in answer to a question he posed about why the first men on the moon didn’t travel very far from the lunar module.
The letter is from Neil Armstrong, who just happened to be the first man to step foot on the moon. He also took a lot of the photos and video from Apollo 11’s 1969 trip.
The first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong, turns 80 years old today. Happy birthday, Mr. Armstrong!
Buzz Aldrin — moon-walking hero and one of our favorite astronauts — was born on this day in New Jersey in 1930.A few birthday photos from his Apollo 11 days:
Wonderful panorama here.
The crew of Apollo 11 share the traditional launch day breakfast of steak and eggs on 16 July 1969. From left: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin, and Director of Flight Crew Operations Donald “Deke” Slayton.
17 June 1969: the Apollo 11 astronauts arrive in Florida for the final time from their training center in Houston. After this they were headlong to the launch.It always startles me that these guys flew themselves out from Houston.
One giant snack for mankind.The Chattanooga Bakery in Tennessee will haul the world’s largest Moon Pie up I-75 to go on display at the Chamber of Commerce. The Moon Pie will be taken out Sunday to the museum, where it will be devoured by Wapakoneta — all 55 pounds and 45,000 calories of it.
The crew of Apollo 11 poses in the command module “Columbia” during an egress test on 10 June 1969. From left: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin.From a distance of 40 years it’s pretty easy to see the Apollo 11 astronauts as loosey-goosey test pilots and thrillseekers. PR photos like this one help.
Aldrin was inspired by geology, because it “opened my eyes to the immensity of time.” Collins was not: “I hate geology — maybe that’s why they won’t let me get out on the Moon.”
Continuing our countdown to the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11.I love these formal portraits of the Apollo 11 astronauts. For one thing, their suits are just so white. Armstrong and Collins are subdued or even bemused. Buzz Aldrin, ever the enthusiast, flat-out grins.
Here’s how it looks when you train for a moon walk. Just you, the phony gray lunar surface, and 15 kid brainiacs with skinny black ties.
Counting down to the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon mission.I can’t get enough of these early photos of crewcut Neil Armstrong.This shot is from 1964. Armstrong was 34 years old, and he had been an astronaut since 1962. His first mission, aboard Gemini VIII, was still two years away. Three years after that he’d be on the moon.
This is a good shot for the 4th of July: camping, cold drinks, parties.The party in this photo is actually for the launch of Apollo 11. One million people, give or take, showed up at Cape Canaveral to watch the launch in 1969.
July 16th, 1969: launch day for Apollo 11, the ship that put the first men on the moon.Who2 will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 for the next three weeks, right through splashdown on 24 July. We’ll have a photo a day, mostly from the marvelous NASA history archives, along with assorted notes and commentary.