Today, NASA commemorates the 35th anniversary of the landmark day
in 1969 when humans first set foot on another celestial body. This
year, the Apollo 11 moon landing evokes anticipation along with
nostalgia. NASA is celebrating the past — with a new vision for the
future.
NASA is marking the accomplishments of Apollo 11 this year with
thoughts focused once again on the moon. The Vision for Space
Exploration calls for NASA to lead the return to the lunar surface and
to fantastic points beyond.
 Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, poses for a photograph beside the deployed United States flag during Apollo 11 extravehicular activity on the lunar surface. The Lunar Module “Eagle” is on the left. The footprints of the astronauts are clearly visible in the soil of the moon. This picture was taken by Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, commander, with a 70mm lunar surface camera. |
Around the country today, members of the NASA family plan a variety of
activities to remember the determination and ingenuity that put Neil
Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins into the history books.
In Washington, NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe will name NASA’s first
generation of astronauts and former CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite
“Ambassadors of Exploration.” They will receive awards during a special
ceremony, live on NASA Television, Tuesday night in Washington.
NASA’s Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, will host Armstrong and
Administrator O’Keefe during a “NASA Update” speech to employees, which
will be broadcast live on NASA Television.
At NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston, home to the Mission Control
Center that planned and directed the lunar landing, employees will be
taken back in time, with a classic car parade and a local “oldies”
station on site broadcasting songs from 1969. Employees will get to see
“moon rocks” and geological samples of the lunar surface, and enjoy
Moon Pies and ice cream. For more information, contact the Johnson
Newsroom at 281/483 5111.
NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will be
showing its employees a movie called “Thunder in Huntsville,” which
tells about the propulsion work done at Marshall during the early days
of human space flight. More information is available by calling
256/544-0034.
Many former employees who worked on the Apollo 11 mission have been
visiting NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, Fla., to speak with employees and
visitors. Guests include moon-walking astronauts Charlie Duke and Gene
Cernan. KSC’s press site can provide more information on 321/867-2468.
Visitors to the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi will get to witness
a “Moon Tree” planting. A Sycamore seedling descended from seeds that
traveled to the moon aboard Apollo 14, as part of astronaut Stuart
Roosa’s personal belongings, will be planted. The center is also
opening a new exhibit honoring Apollo 11 and the Vision for Space
Exploration, which will feature a moon rock and Apollo spacesuits. For
more information, contact the Stennis Newsroom at 228/688-3341.
At the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., today visitors will
see historic video from the Apollo 11 moon landing, projected onto
large screens, and will hear a geophysicist talk about the history and
future of lunar exploration. After sunset, the Goddard Astronomy Club
will have telescopes set up outside for visitors to look at the moon
and the stars. For more information, call 301/286-9041.
A multimedia look back at the Apollo 11 mission, including video, a
photo gallery and feature stories from around the agency is available
on the Internet at:
NASA Television has delved into the archives to rebroadcast highlights
from the historic mission, as well as interviews with the Apollo 11
crew, former CBS anchor Walter Cronkite, and other notable names from
the era.
NASA Television is available on AMC-9, transponder 9C, C-Band, at 85
degrees west longitude. The frequency is 3880.0 MHz. Polarization is
vertical. Audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz.
The NASA Update from Glenn Research Center and the special evening
ceremony in Washington will also be webcast live. For more information
about NASA TV and the webcast, visit:
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