At just after 1 PM, the spacecraft passes behind the Moon, fires a thruster engine to slow down and allow itself to be captured by lunar gravity. As it re-emerges, the astronauts report their first impressions of the Moon’s surface observed from an altitude of between 61 and 168 nautical miles.

Mission Control reports the worldwide interest in the Moon mission - the eyes of the world are truly upon the crew and its tiny spacecraft, now orbiting the moon every two hours.

PX-15

No report

20 JULY

Apollo 11

At 1:46, Buzz Aldrin and Neal Armstrong separate from the command module and crewmate Michael Collins, who will remain aboard the orbiter during the landing.

By 4:18, Neal Armstrong declares to watching and breathless world, "The Eagle has landed!" Six hours later, but five ahead of schedule, Armstrong descends the little ladder from the Lander, hops onto the Moon, and declares "That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind!" It’s an unforgettable moment in human history.

Aldrin follows. The pair plant the American flag, and a phone call comes from President Nixon. They snap to attention and speak to the President as the world looks on.

No known report. The crew of the Ben Franklin drift northward deep in the Gulf Stream, conducting experiments and recording the data of their findings. As Armstrong and Aldrin cruise over the landscape of the moon on their descent, so the crew of the Ben Franklin are cruising over the terrain of the Continental Shelf.

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