Born in 1930, Collins served in the Air Force and flew 78 combat missions during the Korean War. Initially applying twice to become an astronaut but ultimately selected in 1963.
Gemini 10, his maiden voyage as command pilot for NASA’s manned space program, marked an important step forward for humanity’s exploration of space. On this three-day voyage he completed one of the initial dockings with an Agena target vehicle.
Neil Armstrong
Neil Armstrong was born near Wapakoneta, Ohio – approximately 60 miles from where the Wright Brothers first experimented with flight. At 14 he began taking flying lessons and working various jobs to afford them before earning his student pilot’s license at age 15. After graduation from Purdue he joined National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) as test pilot and became part of their test flight team.
NASA accepted Armstrong into their Mercury Astronaut Training program shortly after he lost his wife Janet due to brain tumor, yet despite this tragedy Armstrong became one of the most iconic Americans of his time and an icon for American success in space travel.
Armstrong flew over 200 different aircraft during his test piloting career; these included the legendary X-15 that reached speeds over 4,000 mph and traveled near space. Armstrong’s skill as a test pilot and perseverance allowed him to join Apollo 11’s crew.
Armstrong’s first lunar mission was a challenging one, as his Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) skidded out of control as it approached the lunar surface. Remarkably, Armstrong managed to safely eject from it and parachute safely back down before its fiery explosion occurred; crediting quick thinking as being his saving grace.
Armstrong and Aldrin spent two hours and 41 minutes on the lunar surface, during which they deployed various scientific and engineering experiments, displayed the United States flag, read an inscription plaque and collected rock and soil samples to bring back to Earth for later analysis by geologists on Earth. Furthermore, they photographed their surroundings and verbally reported on their activities to terrestrial geologists.
Michael Collins was only slightly behind Armstrong and Aldrin aboard Columbia; he had already served on Gemini 10 flight as backup pilot during an automated docking and rendezvous process with Agena spacecraft.
On July 24, 1969, three astronauts successfully splashed down in the Pacific Ocean and were placed into quarantine to guard against contamination by lunar microbes. Following 18 days in quarantine, they returned home hailed by crowds as they received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor award.
Buzz Aldrin
Buzz Aldrin became the second American astronaut to walk on the moon. Born in Wapakoneta, Ohio he attended high school in Montclair New Jersey before attending West Point where he excelled academically and athletically. Following graduation he enlisted with the United States Air Force as a jet fighter pilot during the Korean War; flying 66 combat missions while shooting down two enemy aircraft before later transitioning into test pilot training at Edwards Air Force Base as commander of its Test Pilot School.
In 1963, NASA chose him for astronaut training and during Gemini 12 orbital mission he performed the inaugural spacewalk (extravehicular activity). Later he served as backup command module pilot during Apollo 11 lunar landing mission.
Aldrin and Armstrong captured samples of lunar soil during the Apollo moon walk, now on display at numerous museums worldwide. Additionally, they took photographs of its surface. Following his return home, Buzz Aldrin remained actively involved in space exploration by attending conferences and events related to space travel; additionally he founded ShareSpace Foundation in 1998 to advance human spaceflight.
Aldrin has written several books detailing his time as an astronaut, such as Men From Earth and Return to Earth. Additionally, he has penned science fiction novels as well as two technothrillers with John Barnes. Aldrin frequently appears on television and radio programs around the globe and lectures extensively on these subjects.
His father inspired Buzz to set goals when he was young, never anticipating that they would lead him down this path to fame and fortune. Unfortunately, that was exactly what happened, leaving Buzz with depression after returning to Earth as well as substance abuse issues which persisted for many years after.
After his recovery from alcoholism, Buzz rediscovered his engineering roots by designing rockets. Working to advance privatizing space travel, he has received three U.S. patents for his Aldrin Mars Cycler and Starbooster reusable rocket designs. He also participates in deep sea exploration activities and regularly presents lectures about space exploration around the globe.
Michael Collins
Even though Collins did not set foot on the moon himself, he was nonetheless one of the key members of Apollo 11 crew. Collins served as third astronaut aboard Columbia while Armstrong and Aldrin explored lunar surface; during his time in space he made two spacewalks and collected data on moon’s surface before returning back home and writing an account in his memoirs.
Michael Collins was born in Rome, Italy, in 1930. At an early age his family relocated to America where he eventually attended West Point; following graduation he went on to join the US Air Force flying F-86 Sabre fighter aircraft at Chambley-Bussieres Air Base in France as well as Edwards Air Force Base in California before conducting advanced flight tests with Aerospace Research Pilot School.
After serving several years in the Air Force, Collins decided to apply to become a NASA astronaut. Though his initial application was denied, after watching John Glenn orbit Earth on Mercury 6, Collins decided to reapply in 1962 and was accepted into NASA’s astronaut program and trained for both Gemini and Apollo missions.
Gemini 10 was his inaugural mission as an astronaut, lasting three days and providing him with his first spacewalk experience. Apollo 11 followed soon thereafter but this time around Collins would remain inside the command module while his fellow crewmates took their maiden voyage around the Moon.
Collins participated in the two-day lunar excursion alongside Armstrong and Aldrin to collect data from its surface. When returning to Columbia he spent 18 days quarantined to prevent contamination by lunar dust. Following this mission he served as assistant secretary for public affairs of the Smithsonian Institution before beginning work as an aerospace consultant before eventually founding his own business in 1980.
Mission Control
Nasa marshalled an incredible combination of technology and human ingenuity into the project that would launch Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins into space – eventually landing them on the Moon before their journey home back up the Earth in July 1969. Mission Control — commonly referred to by astronauts as simply “the room where it happened” — was just one small part of this epic endeavour.
NASA sought crewmembers for Apollo 11 who could handle both immense stress and, given that lunar landing required lunar exploration, danger. Collins was qualified on both counts having graduated from test pilot school.
Collins served as Commander of the Command Module that he and Armstrong shared during this mission, operating complex machines to navigate their journey around the Moon while also staying in contact with Mission Control during a challenging descent and landing process.
Assuming the task was not without difficulty, one of their chief challenges consisted of flying their Lunar Module Eagle manually as automatic landing was no longer an option. Thankfully, to practice their manoeuvres and prevent disaster, they were equipped with a simulator called Columbia that recreated every aspect of Eagle down to every bolt and nut.
Astronauts would spend hours practicing their descent and landing with the simulator, as well as simulating all possible responses from the lunar surface. By practicing beforehand, astronauts were confident when it was time for real action on the Moon.
As they neared the Moon, Lunar Module’s radar started ‘locking on’ to its surface; however, readings from their Primary Guidance and Navigation System (PGNS) varied from those on their landing radar; this difference, known as Delta-H, indicates that they were 2,900 feet lower in altitude than expected.
Armstrong and Aldrin must now adjust their flight plan in order to account for this misalignment, switching their landing site from near the lunar equator to that near West Crater’s base.