50 years ago on the 20 July, 1969, at 10.56 pm EDT. Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the moon.
An estimated 600 million people around the world gathered around television sets to witness the moon landing and marvel at NASA’s Apollo 11 lunar mission.
Leaving behind the command module Columbia and its pilot Michael Collins some 3 days earlier, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed the Eagle on the Moons surface in the Sea of Tranquility They had over shot the intended landing site by about 3 miles (4.8 km) and had only 30 seconds of fuel left.
The mission took eight days, three hours, eighteen minutes and thirty-five seconds and covered approximately 240,000 miles (286,242 km).
Incredibly this testament to human exploration came only 66 years after the Wright brothers made the very first heavier than-air powered flight, 4 miles south of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, USA on December 17, 1903. It was said that the flight lasted only 12 seconds and covered about 120 feet (about 36.5 metres).
In homage to his fellow Ohioans, Wilbur and Orville Wright. Neil Armstrong carried with him remnants of fabric and the propeller of the Wright Flyer the craft flown by the Wright brothers pioneering flight which paved the way.
Buzz Aldrin said later “ One truth I have discovered for sure: When you believe things are possible and you are willing to work hard to accomplish your goals, you can achieve the next impossible dream. No dream is too high!
We couldn’t agree more Buzz!
