1969: Apollo 11 lands on the Moon
Landing, surface work and the return journey were different stages of one mission.
Event period: 1969 CE — separate from publication date
Also known as: Apollo 11 · Armstrong · Aldrin · Collins
Outward journey
Apollo 11 launched on 16 July 1969 with Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. Armstrong and Aldrin descended in Eagle while Collins remained in lunar orbit aboard the command module.
The return mattered too
After the surface operations, the ascent stage rendezvoused with the command module. The crew splashed down on 24 July. The mission objective included a safe return, not only a first footprint.
Read the photograph carefully
The image credit identifies the mission and archive record. Apollo 8 Earthrise imagery should not be mistaken for a photograph documenting the Apollo 11 landing.
Claims and evidence
Apollo 11 launched on 16 July 1969 and returned on 24 July after the lunar landing.
Sources
- Apollo 11 — NASA
Mission overview: crew, July 1969 lunar landing, launch and splashdown.
Source accessed 2026-10-28
