A Giant Leap for Mankind

Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11's mission to the Moon

In association with

NASASmithsonian's National Air and Space MuseumFrontiers of Flight MuseumAdler PlanetariumSenator John Heinz History CenterThe Interviews: An Oral History of TelevisionJohn F. Kennedy Presidential Library and MuseumU.S. National Archives
View All

"History's greatest adventure" - JFK

A look back at the first mission to land on the Moon

"Why, some say, the Moon?... And they may well ask, why climb the highest mountain? Why, 35 years ago, fly the Atlantic?... We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard."- John F. Kennedy announcing the Moon mission

3...2...1... Liftoff!

How NASA prepared for takeoff