First crewed lunar landing · July 1969
Apollo 11 launched on July 16, 1969, carrying Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins. On July 20, the lunar module Eagle landed in the Sea of Tranquility with Armstrong and Aldrin aboard, while Collins remained in lunar orbit in the command module Columbia.
The mission depended on dividing the journey among specialized vehicles. The lunar module descended to the surface and returned its crew to orbit; the command module brought all three astronauts back through Earth's atmosphere. Their splashdown on July 24 completed the first mission to land people on another world and return them safely.
What to look for
- A lunar module built for operation beyond Earth's atmosphere
- Separate descent and ascent portions of the lander
- Rendezvous in lunar orbit before the journey home