Dublin: 13 °C Thursday 27 March, 2025
Advertisement
Trending:

Tags

See other tags

Tags

In pictures: the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969

From launch to landing: NASA archive images from the first successful manned moon landing mission.

Aug 25th 2012, 8:45 PM 18,023 Views 103 Comments

NOTE: This post was originally published on TheJournal.ie on 21 January 2012.

IT’S ALMOST 50 years since man first walked on the moon and the images captured around that event remain as captivating as they were in 1969.

The US remains the only nation to have landed men on the moon, and no human has walked on the lunar surface since NASA’s Apollo 17 mission in 1972, forty years ago this year.

From the NASA archives, here are some of the most iconic images of that first lunar landing alongside photographs of the command centre celebrating the mission’s success and President Nixon greeting the returned – but quarantined – crew:

In pictures: the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969
1 / 17

  • 1. Launchpad

    A plume of flames marks the lift-off of Apollo 11 from the Kennedy Space Centre on 16 July 1969, carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin. (NASA)

  • 2. Watching and waiting

    Crowds gathered for the Kennedy Space Centre launch include former US President Lyndon B Johnson. (NASA)

  • 3. Lift-off

    Rockets propel Apollo 11 away from the Earth's surface. This image was captured by a telescopic camera mounted on an Air Force plane. (NASA)

  • 4. Landing

    Apollo 11's lunar landing module 'Eagle' is photographed by Collins who remained on board the Command and Service Modules while Armstrong and Aldrin descended onto the lunar surface on 20 July 1969. (NASA)

  • 5. On the moon

    Mission commander Neil Armstrong is photographed by Aldrin after the pair successfully landed on the moon. (NASA)

  • 6. Moon walk

    Buzz Alrin is shown in an iconic image captured by Armstrong as the astronauts explored the moon's Sea of Tranquility. (NASA)

  • 7. Moon footprint

    Another iconic Apollo 11 image: Buzz Aldrin's bootprint on the lunar surface. (NASA)

  • 8. Experiments

    Aldrin is pictured setting up a solar wind composition experiment on the moon. (NASA)

  • 9. Gold branch

    A replica of the gold olive branch, a symbol of peace, Armstrong left on the moon's surface during Apollo 11's mission. (NASA)

  • 10. The return

    The three astronauts inside their landing pod after returning through the Earth's atmosphere. Members of the US Navy are alongside in a raft. (NASA)

  • 11. Released

    The US Navy rescued the three returned Apollo 11 astronauts after they landed in the Pacific Ocean on 24 July 1969. (NASA)

  • 12. Nixon awaits

    President Richard Nixon and NASA administrator Dr Thomas Paine wait for the astronauts to be flown from their landing pod to the USS Hornet. (NASA)

  • 13. Apollo Crew

    The three astonauts of Apollo 11 from left: Neil Armstrong, commander, Michael Collins, command module pilot, and Edwin Aldrin Jr, lunar module pilot. (NASA)

  • 14. Nixon greets the astronauts

    President Nixon welcomes the astronauts aboard the USS Hornet. The three men are pictured inside a quarantine facility on board the ship to prevent the spread of any potential lunar contagions. (NASA)

  • 15. Celebrating success

    Flight controllers at NASA's Mission Control Centre celebrate the success of Apollo 11's lunar landing mission on 24 July 1969. (NASA)

  • 16. Celebrating success

    NASA and Manned Spacecraft Centre officials join flight controllers in their post-mission celebrations. (NASA)

  • 17. A New York City welcome

    The Apollo 11 astronauts greet the thronging crowds gathered along New York City streets in mid-August 1969 during their ticker-tape parade celebrating the lunar mission. (NASA)
  • A plume of flames marks the lift-off of Apollo 11 from the Kennedy Space Centre on 16 July 1969, carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin. (NASA)
  • Crowds gathered for the Kennedy Space Centre launch include former US President Lyndon B Johnson. (NASA)
  • Rockets propel Apollo 11 away from the Earth's surface. This image was captured by a telescopic camera mounted on an Air Force plane. (NASA)
  • Apollo 11's lunar landing module 'Eagle' is photographed by Collins who remained on board the Command and Service Modules while Armstrong and Aldrin descended onto the lunar surface on 20 July 1969. (NASA)
  • Mission commander Neil Armstrong is photographed by Aldrin after the pair successfully landed on the moon. (NASA)
  • Buzz Alrin is shown in an iconic image captured by Armstrong as the astronauts explored the moon's Sea of Tranquility. (NASA)
  • Another iconic Apollo 11 image: Buzz Aldrin's bootprint on the lunar surface. (NASA)
  • Aldrin is pictured setting up a solar wind composition experiment on the moon. (NASA)
  • A replica of the gold olive branch, a symbol of peace, Armstrong left on the moon's surface during Apollo 11's mission. (NASA)
  • The three astronauts inside their landing pod after returning through the Earth's atmosphere. Members of the US Navy are alongside in a raft. (NASA)
  • The US Navy rescued the three returned Apollo 11 astronauts after they landed in the Pacific Ocean on 24 July 1969. (NASA)
  • President Richard Nixon and NASA administrator Dr Thomas Paine wait for the astronauts to be flown from their landing pod to the USS Hornet. (NASA)
  • The three astonauts of Apollo 11 from left: Neil Armstrong, commander, Michael Collins, command module pilot, and Edwin Aldrin Jr, lunar module pilot. (NASA)
  • President Nixon welcomes the astronauts aboard the USS Hornet. The three men are pictured inside a quarantine facility on board the ship to prevent the spread of any potential lunar contagions. (NASA)
  • Flight controllers at NASA's Mission Control Centre celebrate the success of Apollo 11's lunar landing mission on 24 July 1969. (NASA)
  • NASA and Manned Spacecraft Centre officials join flight controllers in their post-mission celebrations. (NASA)
  • The Apollo 11 astronauts greet the thronging crowds gathered along New York City streets in mid-August 1969 during their ticker-tape parade celebrating the lunar mission. (NASA)

About the author:

About the author
Susan Ryan
@SusanSRyan
susanryan@thejournal.ie

Contribute to this story:

Send a Correction

Read next:

COMMENTS (103)

    ∞

    About Us

    Follow Us

    Corrections

    Policies

    Content copyright © Journal Media Ltd. 2025 Registered in Dublin, registration number: 483623. Registered office: 3rd floor, Latin Hall, Golden Lane, Dublin 8.

    TheJournal.ie supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at www.presscouncil.ie, PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1890 208 080 or email: info@presscouncil.ie
     

    Please note that TheJournal.ie uses cookies to improve your experience and to provide services and advertising. For more information on cookies please refer to our cookies policy.

    News images provided by Press Association and Photocall Ireland unless otherwise stated. Irish sport images provided by Inpho Photography unless otherwise stated. Wire service provided by Associated Press.

    Journal Media does not control and is not responsible for user created content, posts, comments, submissions or preferences. Users are reminded that they are fully responsible for their own created content and their own posts, comments and submissions and fully and effectively warrant and indemnify Journal Media in relation to such content and their ability to make such content, posts, comments and submissions available. Journal Media does not control and is not responsible for the content of external websites.

    Switch to Mobile Site

    Sites: TheJournal.ie | Noteworthy | The 42 | Boards.ie | Adverts.ie | Daft.ie