Apollo 11
Apollo 11: Land two astronauts safely on the Moon and return the crew to Earth
Apollo 11 completed the first crewed landing on the Moon. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed lunar module Eagle in the Sea of Tranquility while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit aboard Columbia. Armstrong and Aldrin spent about two and a half hours outside, deployed experiments, photographed the site, and collected 21. 6 kilograms of material before rejoining Collins and returning safely to Earth.
Mission dossier
Flight profile, locations, hardware, and outcome in the same reference format used throughout the archive.
Flight profile
Places and recovery
Mission record
Assignment Manifest
The flight crew and the backup team assigned to train for this mission.
Prime crew
3 assignments
Neil A. Armstrongprime crewCommanderLaunched July 16, 1969Returned July 24, 19698 days, 3 hours, 18 minutes, 35 secondsCommanded Apollo 11 and became the first person to walk on the Moon.Open astronaut archive
Michael Collinsprime crewCommand Module PilotLaunched July 16, 1969Returned July 24, 19698 days, 3 hours, 18 minutes, 35 secondsPiloted Columbia in lunar orbit while Armstrong and Aldrin landed Eagle.Open astronaut archive
Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr.prime crewLunar Module PilotLaunched July 16, 1969Returned July 24, 19698 days, 3 hours, 18 minutes, 35 secondsPiloted Eagle to the lunar surface with Armstrong and became the second person to walk on the Moon.Open astronaut archiveBackup crew
Trained for the mission but did not count as flown unless reassigned to the prime crew.
Mission Purpose
3 sources- Land two astronauts safely on the Moon and return the crew to Earth.
- Conduct a crewed exploration of the Sea of Tranquility landing site.
- Deploy the Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package and document the local surface environment.
- Collect and return lunar rock, soil, and contingency samples for laboratory study.
Planned Flight Plan
3 sources- July 16, 1969
Apollo 11 begins
Columbia and Eagle was assigned to Land two astronauts safely on the Moon and return the crew to Earth.
- Primary phase
Conduct a crewed exploration of the Sea of Tranquility landing site
Command module: Columbia (CM-107); Lunar module: Eagle (LM-5); Surface science: Passive seismometer, laser-ranging retroreflector, solar-wind collector, cameras, and sampling tools
- Mission objective
Deploy the Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package and document the local surface environment
Apollo 11 operated within Apollo to pursue the program objective.
- July 24, 1969
Apollo 11 outcome
Apollo 11 concluded with the recorded status Completed: Apollo 11: Land two astronauts safely on the Moon and return the crew to Earth.
Mission Timeline
3 sources- July 16, 1969
Apollo 11 begins
Columbia and Eagle began Apollo 11 to Land two astronauts safely on the Moon and return the crew to Earth.
Open operation record - Operations
Conduct a crewed exploration of the Sea of Tranquility landing site
Command module: Columbia (CM-107); Lunar module: Eagle (LM-5); Surface science: Passive seismometer, laser-ranging retroreflector, solar-wind collector, cameras, and sampling tools
Open operation record - Defining result
Apollo 11: Land two astronauts safely on the Moon and return the crew to Earth
Apollo 11 completed the first crewed landing on the Moon.
Open operation record - July 24, 1969
Apollo 11: Completed
Collect and return lunar rock, soil, and contingency samples for laboratory study.