Landing on the Moon

The following information is taken from Lincoln Journal Star.


On July 20, 1969, Neil Alden Armstrong made the first steps on the moon surface. It was 9:45 CDT when this historical event occured. Neil Armstrong (38 y.o. from Wapakoneta, Ohio) spent 2 hours and 14 minutes on the moon surface, before returning to his spacecraft (called Eagle) which landed on the moon at 3:18 p.m. (i.e., 6 hours and 27 minutes before Neil stepped out). Neil (a civilian) was accomplished by Air Force Col. Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. who followed Neil after 20 minutes. Aldrin remained outside the spacecraft for 1 hour and 44 minutes. President Nixon spoke to the astronauts from the Oval Room. The final note which I want to mention here is that the distance between the earth and the moon is estimated to be 240,000 miles. Also, let me mention the following important dates:


  • On Oct 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first satellite (called Sputnik) into space.


  • On April 12, 1961, the Soviet Yuri Gagarin became the first human to be launched into space.


  • On May 5, 1961, Alan Shepard became the first American to be launched into space.

    Last modified: Feb 19, 2000

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