Cape Canaveral, Fla. (AP) — The United States achieved a historic feat by landing astronauts on the moon. This stands as a pinnacle of human endeavor. The lunar lander remains on the moon, a testament to American innovation.
Over fifty years ago, NASA sent 12 astronauts to explore the lunar surface. The Apollo 11 mission marked the beginning, with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin making history. They became the first humans to step on another world. On July 20, 1969, the lander named Eagle touched down in the Sea of Tranquility. Armstrong’s words, “The Eagle has landed,” resonated worldwide, bringing joy and tears to many.
Only 6½ hours after landing, Armstrong delivered a line that became iconic: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
The Apollo lunar module reached a height of 23 feet (7 meters). It consisted of two main sections. The lower descent stage, with four legs, transported astronauts to the lunar surface. It stayed behind while the upper stage returned the crew to lunar orbit.
The descent stages from all Apollo missions remain on the moon’s near side. NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and satellites from other countries have captured images of these landmarks. They appear as white spots from orbit, marking landings not only by Eagle but also Intrepid, Antares, Falcon, Orion, and Challenger. The Apollo 13 mission used its lunar module, Aquarius, as a lifeboat to bring its crew home safely.
The ascent stages are scattered on the moon, destroyed after their mission. There is speculation that the ascent stage of Apollo 11 may still orbit the moon.
In April 2021, the Indian Space Research Organization’s Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter captured an image of the Apollo 11 landing site, showcasing the lunar descent stage on the moon.
NASA’s new Artemis program involves private companies in lunar lander development and operations. SpaceX and Blue Origin are preparing their landers for a docking test in low-Earth orbit with a NASA crew capsule in the near future. A successful test may lead to a moon landing with astronauts as early as 2028. SpaceX’s Starship is so tall that astronauts will use a 10-floor elevator to descend to the lunar surface, while Apollo astronauts used a ladder with nine rungs.
On that significant day, President Richard Nixon spoke to Armstrong and Aldrin as they stood with the U.S. flag 240,000 miles (385,000 kilometers) from Earth. Nixon remarked that it was a unique moment bringing unity to all people on Earth.
This commentary is part of the “American Objects” series, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States.
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