1. July 21, 1969 5 cents
S P E C I A L M O O N E D I T I O N
The New York Times
‘ A G I A N T L E A P
F O R W A R D F O R
M A N K I N D ’
July 21, 1969- A time for celebration and
another amazing success to the United
States, as the Apollo VI mission will soon be
fully accomplished. Our heroes (Neil A.
Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin E.
Aldrin Jr.), who have been training many
years for this special mission, have landed
on the Moon (Sea of Tranquility) while inside
the “Eagle” Lunar Module yesterday at 4:17
p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Neil A.
Armstrong, commander, radioed to the
mission control room, “Houston, Tranquility
Base here. The Eagle has landed”. Six
hours later at 10:56 p.m., the craft’s hatch
is opened. Neil A. Armstrong emerges and
becomes the first man to step on the
moon’s surface. That’s one small step for a
man, one giant leap for mankind”,
Armstrong stated this infamous quote while Astronauts of Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, stand on the
living the dream, and planting the first Moon’s sur face af ter planting the American flag.
footsteps on the moon. Millions of proud particles”. Armstrong started variety of exercises that tested lunar agility
Americans and people from around the experimenting (e.g. Soil Mechanics (skipping, jumping), before placing the world
globe watched closely in awe at the live Investigation, Solar Wind Composition renowned American flag on its surface.
footage. “The surface is fine and powdery,” Experiment), collected soil samples from President Nixon, as well as many other
Armstrong reported, “I can pick t up loosely the Moon, and took photographs of these nations sent messages of congratulations
with my toe. It does adhere in fine layers incredible memories. Seventeen minutes during the expedition. After a two-an-a-half
like powdered charcoal to the sole and side later, he was joined by co-commander, hour of expedition, Armstrong and Aldrin
of my boots I only go in a small fraction of Aldrin, and was able to collect forty-seven returned to their craft at 1:12 A.M. They are
an inch, maybe an eighth of an inch. But I pounds of lunar substance, which was to be scheduled to lift off at 1:55 P.M. today.
can see the footprints of my boots in the sent back to earth for analysis.
treads in the fine sandy The two astronauts also performed a