Stepping off the lunar landing module Eagle, Armstrong became the first human to walk on the surface of the moon.
At the time, the United States was still trailing the Soviet Union in space developments, and Cold War-era America welcomed Kennedy’s bold proposal.
The next day, at 1:46 p.m., the lunar module Eagle, manned by Armstrong and Aldrin, separated from the command module, where Collins remained.
At 10:39 p.m., five hours ahead of the original schedule, Armstrong opened the hatch of the lunar module.
He then planted his left foot on the gray, powdery surface, took a cautious step forward, and humanity had walked on the moon.
The last men to walk on the moon, astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt of the Apollo 17 mission, left the lunar surface on December 14, 1972.
The expense was justified by Kennedy’s 1961 mandate to beat the Soviets to the moon, and after the feat was accomplished ongoing missions lost their viability. »