"Fly Me To The Moon": "Fly Me To The Moon"

“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” There were the words of Neil Armstrong as he stepped into the Sea of Tranquility on the surface of the moon. The site was chosen because it was relatively smooth and flat. Before the arrival of Apollo 11 and her three man crew, the landing spot was studied by the Ranger 8 and Surveyor 5 Landers as well as the Lunar Orbiter mapping spacecraft. The Americans were the first to land a man on the moon, although the first manmade object to “reach the moon” was the Soviet Luna 1 which passed within 5995km of the Moon. The Apollo 11 mission is seen by many as an American victory in the space race and is a symbol of pride and great achievement for American citizens. The first landing became a predecessor for 5 more successful landings from 1969 to 1972.

The first lunar landing by the Apollo 11 crew on June 20^th, 1969 was as much a political event as it was a scientific one. The event was broadcast on national television and was meant to establish the States’ dominance in space and to divert attention away from mounting tensions in Vietnam. The two and a half hours that the Apollo crew spent outside their Lander on the moon surface were relayed through the Parkes Observatory in Parkes, New South Whales, Australia to over 600 million people on Earth. After spending a total of twenty-one and a half hours on the moon and taking a call from President Nixon, the crew were ready to re-dock with the Command Module Columbia. They took off from the moon with less than 30 seconds of fuel and 20.78 kg of moon samples on board. Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin successfully re-docked, saving Nixon from reading the short speech written in case tragedy struck:

Fate has ordained that the men who went to the Moon to explore in peace will stay on the Moon to rest in peace. These brave men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice.
These two men are laying down their lives in mankind's most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding. They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by their nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a Mother Earth that dared send two of her sons into the unknown.
In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man. In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood.
Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man's search will not be denied. But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts.

Upon the crew’s return four days later they were hailed for their bravery as heroes of a proud . Behind them the men left scientific instruments, an American flag and a plaque that reads: