Apollo 11

"Columbia"
NSSDC ID: 69-059A

Description:
The Apollo 11 spacecraft was part of the first mission in which
humans landed on the lunar surface and returned to earth. The
spacecraft consisted of three modules -- a lunar module (LM), a
command module (CM), and a service module, which was linked to
the command module to form the command service module (CSM).
After the spacecraft orbited the moon, the LM and CSM separated.
Two astronauts in the LM (Commander Neil A. Armstrong and LM
pilot Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin Jr.) landed on the lunar surface at the
sea of tranquility (0.67 deg N latitude and 23.49 deg E longitude),
while one (CM pilot Michael Collins) remained in lunar orbit in the
command module. Scientific studies were performed, and soil
and rock samples were acquired by the astronauts during a
moonwalk. The men returned to the LM, docked the LM and the
CSM, and returned to earth. The Apollo 11 spacecraft was launched
on July 16, 1969 and was injected into lunar orbit on July 19. The
LM (69-059C) landed on the moon on July 20, 1969 and returned
to the command module on July 21. The command module left
lunar orbit on July 22 and returned to earth on July 24, 1969. A
laser ranging retroreflector and a passive seismograph
experiment were left on the moon. The performance of the
spacecraft was excellent throughout the mission. 

The Apollo 11 Command Module is on display at the National
Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.