Who Was The First Person On The Moon?
QUICK ANSWER
Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the Moon on July 20, 1969, during NASA's Apollo 11 mission. Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface at 10:56 PM EDT, followed about 20 minutes later by Buzz Aldrin. Michael Collins remained in orbit aboard the command module Columbia.
Neil Armstrong was the first human to walk on the Moon, on July 20, 1969, as part of the Apollo 11 mission. His famous first words from the surface, slightly garbled, were heard by an estimated 650 million people on Earth. The mission was the culmination of a decade-long effort spurred by President Kennedy's 1961 promise to land humans on the Moon before the decade was out.
Who walked on the Moon first?
Neil Armstrong, on July 20, 1969. According to NASA, Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface at 10:56 PM Eastern Daylight Time, about 6.5 hours after the Lunar Module Eagle touched down in the Sea of Tranquility. His famous words were either 'That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind' or 'one small step for a man,' depending on whether you trust the original audio or his later clarification. Either way, the moment was one of the most watched events in human history.
Who else was on Apollo 11?
Three astronauts total. Neil Armstrong was the mission commander. Buzz Aldrin was the Lunar Module pilot, who walked on the Moon about 20 minutes after Armstrong. Michael Collins was the Command Module pilot, who stayed in orbit around the Moon while Armstrong and Aldrin descended to the surface. Collins is sometimes called the most isolated person in history during the 21 hours when he was on the far side of the Moon, completely out of radio contact with Earth and his crewmates. All three returned safely to Earth on July 24, 1969.
How long did Armstrong and Aldrin spend on the Moon?
About 21 hours total, with just over 2.5 hours outside the lunar module. Armstrong spent 2 hours, 31 minutes on the surface; Aldrin about 40 minutes less. The two astronauts collected 47.5 pounds of lunar rock samples, deployed scientific instruments including a seismometer and a laser retroreflector, planted an American flag, and took roughly 125 photographs. They also had a brief phone call with President Nixon.
Did anyone else come close to being first?
Yes, the Soviets, but they fell behind. The Soviet Union led the early space race, putting the first satellite (Sputnik) in orbit in 1957 and the first human (Yuri Gagarin) in space in 1961. The Soviets had a secret crewed lunar program but suffered repeated failures with their N1 rocket and never landed cosmonauts on the Moon. Apollo 11 was a major Cold War victory in addition to a scientific milestone.
Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the Moon, on July 20, 1969, during the Apollo 11 mission. Buzz Aldrin followed about 20 minutes later, while Michael Collins remained in orbit. The mission was watched live by an estimated 650 million people and represented the culmination of a decade-long effort. The Apollo program would land 10 more astronauts on the Moon over the next three years, then end abruptly in 1972.
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