TIM MAGUIRE
Originally scheduled for 12 March 1970, Apollo 13 left the launch
Pad at 2:13 EST 11 April 1970.
The crew of Apollo 13: from left – James A. Lovell, Jr, John L.
Swigert, Jr., and Fred W. Haise, Jr.
On this day in 1969, Apollo 11, the U.S. spacecraft that had taken the
first astronauts to the surface of the moon, safely returned to Earth and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.
United States President Richard Nixon was in the central Pacific recovery area
to welcome the Apollo 11 astronauts aboard the USS Hornet, prime recovery
ship for the historic Apollo 11 lunar landing mission, on July 24, 1969. The
Apollo 11 astronauts are, from left, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz
Aldrin. They were quarantined after splashdown to ensure they did not bring
back any contamination from the moon.
TIM MAGUIRE
Armstrong became the first person to step onto the lunar surface.
On this day in 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Commander Neil Armstrong and
lunar Module pilot Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr. became the first men to walk
on the moon.
First footprint on the Moon (left) was that of astronaut Neil
Armstrong (right).
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin Jr. poses for a photograph beside the U.S. flag.
(Neil Armstrong/NASA via AP)
CARLATA BRADLEY
The Eagle prepares to land: Photo shows Lunar Module ‘Eagle’ photographed from Command Module ‘Columbia’.
The Command Service Module Columbia.
On this day in 1969, Apollo 11 made thirty orbits of the moon which allowed
them to view the landing site: the southern Sea of Tranquility, one of the
most suitably flat areas. This area had confirmed by the Apollo 10 ‘dress
rehearsal’ mission in which the crew captured vital film footage and photos
while orbiting the moon.
ROSS SIMPSON
Disneyland opened in Anaheim, CA. on this day in 1955. Walt Disney gave the opening day speech. Thousands of people attended the
event.
