One Small Step...

 "I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth."

In 1961, then President John Kennedy set a goal for America and the American space program, NASA.  Forty-two years ago today, July 20^th 1969 that goal was realized when The Eagle landed in the Sea of Tranquility.  In the fifth manned flight of the Apollo program, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin left Michael Collins on orbit in the Command module Columbia and flew the Eagle to the moon. 

”We’re coming in Hot.”

Using an overloaded computer that had considerably less power than the one you are using to read this, flying too high and too fast the Eagle would overshoot the intended landing zone.  Armstrong took semi control of the lunar lander and chose a better landing area than the boulder-strewn area the computer had selected.

"Houston, Tranquility base here. The Eagle has landed."

Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin

 I could have been outside enjoying summer vacation from school, but that nine-year-old space cadet had much better things to do at a quarter past three on a sultry Missouri afternoon.  I’m guessing here, but the odds are good that 3pm on a July afternoon in the middle of Missouri was hot, steamy and sultry.  Grainy black and white television images of the live coverage fascinated me.

"This is the LM pilot. I'd like to take this opportunity to ask every person listening in, whoever and wherever they may be, to pause for a moment and contemplate the events of the past few hours and to give thanks in his or her own way."  Buzz Aldrin, two and half hours after touchdown.   

I couldn’t wait until we would see grainy black and white images from the moon itself.  That would have to wait until tomorrow.

”That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”