The Incredible Story of Apollo 11 — Photo Gallery

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First Explorers on the Moon

These photos and captions were originally published in the December 1969 issue of National Geographic.

/1969/12/moon-landing/img/01-moon-walk-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-01.jpg Ektachrome by Neil A. Armstrong, NASA Eagle's foil-wrapped landing probes. Visor reflects his long black shadow, the solar wind collector, the Stars and Stripes planted by the moonwalkers, the white figure of Armstrong (who took this picture), and the buglike lunar module. A few hours earlier the two men had flashed the words that thrilled a waiting world: "Tranquillity Base here. The Eagle has landed." While Armstrong and Aldrin explore the surface, Michael Collins keeps lonely vigil in Columbia, Apollo 11's command module orbiting the moon.]]> /1969/12/moon-landing/img/02-footprint-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-02.jpg Ektachrome by Neil A. Armstrong, NASA /1969/12/moon-landing/img/03-launch-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-03.jpg Ektachrome by Otis Imboden /1969/12/moon-landing/img/04-blast-off-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-04.jpg Ektachrome by NASA /1969/12/moon-landing/img/05-crowd-view-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-05.jpg Kodacolor by Otis Imboden for NASA Godspeed! They watched with their hearts in their throats at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on July 16, those privileged to see Apollo 11 lift off in a fury of flame. Some 8,000 distinguished guests and nearly 2,000 journalists crowded into bleachers 3 1/2 miles from the launch site. Lyndon B. Johnson and Mrs. Johnson stood beside Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. Behind the Johnsons, with face hidden by his arm, stands former NASA Administrator James E. Webb, a National Geographic Society Trustee; present NASA head Dr. Thomas O. Paine praised him as "the man who knew how to put together this magnificent team."]]> /1969/12/moon-landing/img/06-mission-control-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-06.jpg Kodacolor by Bill Taub, NASA /1969/12/moon-landing/img/07-eagle-flight-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-07.jpg Ektachrome by Michael Collins, NASA Eagle to its docking with Columbia. "Absolutely beautiful," said Collins. The eastern rim of the moon lies 70 miles below.]]> /1969/12/moon-landing/img/08-armstrong-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-08.jpg Ektachrome by Edwin E. Adrin, Jr., NASA Eagle, after his two hours and twenty minutes outside the spacecraft, moon explorer Armstrong wears a grin as he talks into a microphone to Houston. Safely aboard are the prized samples of soil and rock.]]> /1969/12/moon-landing/img/09-space-walk-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-09.jpg Ektachrome by James A. McDivitt, NASA /1969/12/moon-landing/img/10-aldrin-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-10.jpg Ektachrome by Neil A. Armstrong, NASA /1969/12/moon-landing/img/11-craters-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-11.jpg Ektachrome by /1969/12/moon-landing/img/12-moon-pulse-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-12.jpg Ektachrome by Neil A. Armstrong, NASA Eagle after setting up the instrument, which is so sensitive it can detect pea-size meteorites hitting the moon half a mile away. Laser reflector, behind the seismic unit, bounces narrow light beams back to earth so physicists can measure earth-moon distances precisely.]]> /1969/12/moon-landing/img/13-flag-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-13.jpg Ektachrome by NASA /1969/12/moon-landing/img/14-descent-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-14.jpg Ektachrome by U.S. Underwater Demolition Team No. 12, NASA Columbia rides the blue Pacific 950 miles southwest of Hawaii, after its parachutes lowered it through the dawn.]]> /1969/12/moon-landing/img/15-ocean-landing-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-15.jpg Ektachrome by Ektachrome by Lee Jones, and Lt. (JG) John G. McLachlan Hornet. As a frogman snaps pictures, far right, Aldrin boosts Collins aloft on a hoist. Balloons that righted the craft when it capsized after splashdown bob gaily above a flotation collar.]]> /1969/12/moon-landing/img/16-containment-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-16.jpg Ektachrome by NASA Hornet's deck, heading for quarantine.]]> /1969/12/moon-landing/img/17-arrival-happiness-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-17.jpg Ektachrome by Otis Imboden for NASA /1969/12/moon-landing/img/18-crew-714.jpg /1969/12/moon-landing/img/moon-60-18.jpg Ektachrome by Robert W. Madden Hornet. They wear the NASA insignia and an Apollo 11 emblem depicting an eagle bearing an olive branch—symbol of peace—to the moon. The carrier crew dubbed the recovery operation "Hornet plus three."]]>