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This image of Buzz Aldrin on the surface of the moon is one of the most emblematic of all the archives of Apollo 11 – and the history of NASA. Aldrin walked on the moon on July 20, 1969 with his teammate Neil Armstrong. In the image, footprints occupy the lunar ground on the left and the lunar module leg "Eagle" is visible in the lower right quadrant. less
This image of Buzz Aldrin on the surface of the moon is one of the most emblematic of all the archives of Apollo 11 – and the history of NASA. Aldrin walked on the moon on July 20, 1969 with his teammate Neil Armstrong. More
Photo: CBSI / CNET
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REPORT – Mission control personnel waved flags to celebrate the return to Earth of Apollo 11 on July 24, 1969.
REPORT – Mission control personnel waved flags to celebrate the return to Earth of Apollo 11 on July 24, 1969.
Photo: NASA, NYT
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DOSSIER– This undated image provided by NASA shows President Dwight Eisenhower, center, commanding Dr. T. Keith Glennan, right, as NASA's first director and Dr. Hugh L. Dryden as # Deputy Administrator, Washington, DC A Bill The Congress wants to rename the NASA Dryden Research Center on Southern California, after Neil Armstrong, the Apollo 11 astronaut, to honor him as a that test pilot. less
FILE– This undated image provided by NASA shows President Dwight Eisenhower, center, charging Dr. T. Keith Glennan, right, to become NASA's first director and Dr. Hugh L. Dryden, … more
Photo: Associated Press
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Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., pilot of the lunar module, stands on the lunar surface after landing the Apollo 11 moon on July 20, 1969. The lunar module is visible at the rear. -plan.
Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., pilot of the lunar module, stands on the lunar surface after landing the Apollo 11 moon on July 20, 1969. The lunar module is visible at the rear. -plan.
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Rocco Petrone, director of space launch operations, indicates on the archival photo the point on the moon where Apollo 11 astronauts will aim at their landing at the first attempt of the day. 39, landing on the moon. Complex, Cape Kennedy, Florida less
In this photo of July 12, 1969, Rocco Petrone, director of the US television channel, pointed to the location of the Apollo 11 astronauts during their first landing at the first attempt of the day. Landing on the moon.
Photo: Jim Kerlin, AP
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The Apollo astronauts listen to Deke Slayton, director of flight crew operations for the historic Apollo 11 flight, on the right, as they lunch before the flight to Cape Kennedy, Florida, July 16, 1969. From left , they are the pilot of the command module, Michael Collins, Command Pilot Neil A. Armstrong, William A. Anders and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. Anders is a member of the Apollo 11 rescue team. Less
Apollo astronauts listen to Deke Slayton, director of flight crew operations of the historic Apollo 11 flight, right, while they are having their breakfast before the flight to Cape Kennedy, Florida, on July 16 1969. From … more
Photo: Anonymous, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Journalists and neighbors gather in front of a mobile television unit at astronaut Michael Collins near the Manned Spacecraft Center on July 16, 1969 in Houston, Texas. They were gathered to watch the launch of the Saturn rocket carrying the Apollo 11 spacecraft en route to the Moon. less
Journalists and neighbors gather in front of a mobile television unit at astronaut Michael Collins near the Manned Spacecraft Center on July 16, 1969 in Houston, Texas. They were gathered to watch the … more
Photo: Anonymous, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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In this July 20, 1969 photo file, Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong leaves the lunar module lander and becomes the first man to set foot on the moon. A huge shadow of the lunar module is projected on the surface of the moon. The photo was made from a 16mm color film and was taken with a Mauer camera at six and 12 frames per second. less
In this July 20, 1969 photo file, Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong leaves the lunar module lander and becomes the first man to set foot on the moon. A huge shadow of the lunar module is projected onto the … more
Photo: Anonymous, AP
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US military stop in a street in downtown Saigon to read the report of a local newspaper on the lunar landing of Apollo 11, July 21, 1969, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. From left to right are Air Force. Sgt. Michael Chivaris, Clinton, Mass., Spec. Army. Andrew Hutchins, Middlebury, Vermont; Air Force Sgt. John Whalin, Indianapolis, Ind .; and Spec. Army 4 Lloyd Newton, Roseburg, Oregon less
US military stop in a street in downtown Saigon to read the report of a local newspaper on the lunar landing of Apollo 11, July 21, 1969, in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. From left to right are Air Force. Sgt. Michael Chivaris, … more
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The President greets the crew at the White House on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the landing. The President recalled seeing the return of Apollo astronauts to Hawaii after being stranded in the Pacific Ocean. He said that he was sitting on his grandfather's shoulders and "we pretend that they could see us while we greet people coming home." less
The President greets the crew at the White House on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the landing. The President recalled seeing the return of Apollo astronauts to Hawaii after being stranded in the Pacific Ocean. He … more
Photo: Alex Brandon, AP
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Here is who was on the rocket that day: astronauts Neil Armstrong, left, Michael Collins, center, and Edwin A. Aldrin, are pictured in this 1969 Apollo II crew portrait. Video Apollo 11 right here.
Here is who was on the rocket that day: astronauts Neil Armstrong, left, Michael Collins, center, and Edwin A. Aldrin, are pictured in this 1969 Apollo II crew portrait. Video Apollo 11 right here.
Photo: AP
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This oblique photograph of the moon usually looks to the northwest sea of tranquility, planned landing site for the Apollo 11 astronauts. The lowest linear element (the closest) is the Cauchy Scarp. The upper linear element is the Cauchy Rille. The crater Cauchy foreground is between the groove and the scarf. This image was taken from the Apollo 8 spacecraft at the end of December 1968. less
This oblique photograph of the moon usually looks to the northwest sea of tranquility, planned landing site for the Apollo 11 astronauts. The lowest linear element (the closest) is the Cauchy Scarp. most
Photo: NASA, Associated Press
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In this archival photo of July 5, 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong, left, the first man to walk on the moon, wears a plaque that will be affixed to a step of descent from the lunar module and left behind. on the moon by the Apollo 11 astronauts under the name of Col. Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, in the center, holds the Apollo 11 badge at a press conference at the Space Center. Lieutenant-Colonel Michael Collins, pilot of the control module, is on the right. less
In this archival photo of July 5, 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong, left, the first man who was to walk on the moon, displays a plaque that will be affixed to a lunar module descent step and … more
Photo: AP
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This photo shows members of the Apollo 11 crew, led by Neil Armstrong, heading to the van that will take them to the rocket for launch on the moon. Apollo 11 video right here.
This photo shows members of the Apollo 11 crew, led by Neil Armstrong, heading to the van that will take them to the rocket for launch on the moon. Apollo 11 video right here.
Photo: AP
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The Launch Control Team is watching in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The Launch Control Team is watching in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Photo: New York Times
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The ship of 3,817 tons elevates from the land. Who gave the order of ignition? Jack King, the "voice of Apollo". Apollo 11 video right here.
The ship of 3,817 tons elevates from the land. Who gave the order of ignition? Jack King, the "voice of Apollo". Apollo 11 video right here.
Photo: AP
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Berliners standing in front of a television shop and looking out the window to watch the start of the Apollo 11 space mission on television, June 16, 1969 in Berlin, Germany.
Berliners standing in front of a television shop and looking out the window to watch the start of the Apollo 11 space mission on television, June 16, 1969 in Berlin, Germany.
Photo: Edwin Reichert, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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A group of unidentified people gather around a TV in a Sears store located in White Plains, New York, to witness the takeoff of Apollo 11 on July 16, 1969.
A group of unidentified people gather around a TV in a Sears store located in White Plains, New York, to witness the takeoff of Apollo 11 on July 16, 1969.
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The women of the three Apollo 11 astronauts are appearing today in one of their homes near the Houston Space Center, as their husbands continue their historic flight to the moon. In the usual order: Mrs. Neil A. Armstrong, whose husband will be the first man to walk on the moon; Michael Collins and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. less
The women of the three Apollo 11 astronauts are appearing today in one of their homes near the Houston Space Center, as their husbands continue their historic flight to the moon. From left to right: Mrs … more
Photo: AP
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In this July 1969 archival photo, one can see most of Africa and parts of Europe and Asia on this spectacular photograph taken since the. Apollo 11 spacecraft during its translucent coast to the moon, in July 1969. Apollo 11 98,000 nautical miles from the Earth when this image was taken. less
In this July 1969 photo archive, one can see most of Africa and parts of Europe and Asia on this spectacular photograph taken since the Apollo 11 probe during its translucent coast to the moon, … more
Photo: NASA, AP
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View of Apollo Command Module with astronaut Michael Collins on board, lunar module view, July 20, 1969. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin of LM separated from Apollo 11 and are preparing to return to the lunar surface. The lunar terrain in the background is the hidden side of the moon. less
View of the Apollo Command Module with astronaut Michael Collins on board, seen from the lunar module, July 20, 1969. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin of the LM separated from Apollo 11 and … more
Photo: Anonymous, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Apollo mission astronaut, Frank Borman, talks about the successful lunar landing of Apollo 11 and the future of space missions at a press conference at the House Blanche, July 20, 1969. Borman watched the televised broadcast of the moon with President Nixon. less
Apollo mission astronaut Frank Borman spoke about the success of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and the future of space missions at a press conference at the White House. July 20, 1969. Borman has watched … more
Photo: JOHN DURICKA, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The ascension phase of the Apollo 11 lunar module is visible from the command service module at lunar orbit rendezvous on July 20, 1969. The vast dark area in the background is the Smith Sea, centered at 85 degrees east longitude and 2 degrees south latitude. on the near lunar side, looking to the west as the Earth rises above the lunar horizon. On Thursday, March 5, 1998, it was reported that scattered pockets of ice had been discovered beneath the lunar surface by a robotic spacecraft that spent the last month mapping the moon. less
The ascension stage of the Apollo 11 lunar module is visible from the command service module at a rendezvous in lunar orbit on July 20, 1969. The large dark area at l. background is the Smith Sea, centered at 85 … more
Photo: AP
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Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., lunar module pilot, descends the lunar module ladder steps as he prepares to walk on the moon, July 20, 1969. He had just escaped the lunar module. This photo was taken by astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, commander, with a 70mm surface camera during the Apollo 11 spacewalk. Less
Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., lunar module pilot, descends the lunar module ladder steps as he prepares to walk on the moon, July 20, 1969. He had just escaped the lunar module. This photo was taken by … more
Photo: NEIL A. ARMSTRONG, AP
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Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11 astronaut, is doing the story down the lunar module scale (left photo) and a few seconds later he becomes the first human to pose the foot on the moon (photo right). The photos were taken during a television broadcast of the historic success. less
Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11 astronaut, is doing the story down the lunar module scale (left photo) and a few seconds later he becomes the first human to pose the foot on the moon (photo right). … more
Photo: AP
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In this photo of July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong, commander of Apollo 11, slowly moves away from the lunar module to explore the surface of the moon.
In this photo of July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong, commander of Apollo 11, slowly moves away from the lunar module to explore the surface of the moon.
Photo: AP
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In this archival photo of July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, right, scours the surface of the moon leaving footprints. The American flag, planted on the surface by astronauts, can be seen between Armstrong and the lunar module. Edwin E. Aldrin is seen closer to the craft. The men reported that the surface of the moon was like soft sand and left footprints several centimeters deep wherever they walked. less
In this archival photo of July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, right, scours the surface of the moon leaving footprints. The American flag, planted on the surface by astronauts, can be … more
Photo: AP
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Apollo 11 astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. Buzz & # 39; Aldrin, the first men to land on the moon, plant the American flag on the lunar surface, July 20, 1969. The photo was taken by a 16 mm camera inside the lunar module, shooting at a picture per second. less
Apollo 11 astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. Buzz & # 39; Aldrin, the first men to land on the moon, laid the American flag on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969. The photo was taken by a … more
Photo: AP
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In this photo of July 20, 1969, a crowd observes the Apollo 11 team landing on the moon in Central Park, New York State.
In this photo of July 20, 1969, a crowd observes the Apollo 11 team landing on the moon in Central Park, New York State.
Photo: Marty Lederhandler, AP
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A Japanese family watches its television screen as President Richard Nixon superimposes himself on a live television broadcast of the Astronauts Moon Salvation Apollo 11, July 1969, Tokyo, Japan. The family is not identified.
A Japanese family watches its television screen as President Richard Nixon superimposes himself on a live television broadcast of the Astronauts Moon Salvation Apollo 11, July 1969, Tokyo, Japan. The family is not identified.
Photo: AP
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In this archival photo of July 20, 1969, an imprint left by one of the astronauts of the Apollo 11 mission is visible on the soft powdery surface of the moon.
In this archival photo of July 20, 1969, an imprint left by one of the astronauts of the Apollo 11 mission is visible on the soft powdery surface of the moon.
Photo: Anonymous, AP
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The bikini hostesses of a Tokyo cabaret, led by their manager, shout "Banzai" in Japanese in front of the American Embassy, in July 1969, in Tokyo, Japan. They celebrated the successful landing of the Apollo 11 lunar module on the moon. The girls carry signs saying "Congratulations on the successful landing on the moon". less
The bikini hostesses of a Tokyo cabaret, led by their manager, shout "Banzai" in Japanese in front of the American Embassy, in July 1969, in Tokyo, Japan. They were celebrating the successful landing of the … more
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS
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The bikini hostesses of a Tokyo cabaret, led by their manager, shout "Banzai" in Japanese in front of the American Embassy, in July 1969, in Tokyo, Japan. They celebrated the successful landing of the Apollo 11 lunar module on the moon. Les filles portent des pancartes indiquant «Félicitations pour l’atterrissage réussi sur la Lune». less
Les hôtesses en bikini d'un cabaret de Tokyo, conduites par leur manager, crient "Banzai" en japonais devant l'ambassade américaine, en juillet 1969, à Tokyo, au Japon. Ils fêtaient le débarquement réussi de la … suite
Photo: PRESSE ASSOCIEE
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Une foule se rassemble pour regarder l'équipage d'Apollo 11 atterrir sur la lune, le 20 juillet 1969, Central Park, New York.
Une foule se rassemble pour regarder l'équipage d'Apollo 11 atterrir sur la lune, le 20 juillet 1969, Central Park, New York.
Photo: Marty Lederhandler, PRESSE ASSOCIEE
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Edwin Buzz Aldrin mène des expériences scientifiques sur un site de déploiement au sud du module lunaire Eagle. Une expérience portait sur la composition interne de la lune et une autre sur la distance exacte par rapport à la Terre. La photo a été prise par Neil Armstrong de la mission Apollo 11 en juillet 1969. Extrait du livre Full Moon (Knopf) de Michael Light. less
Edwin Buzz Aldrin mène des expériences scientifiques sur un site de déploiement au sud du module lunaire Eagle. Une expérience portait sur la composition interne de la lune, et une autre essayait de déterminer la … plus
Photo: AP
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Dans cette photo d'archives fournie par la NASA le 20 juillet 1969, le personnel de contrôle de la mission observe la marche de la lune effectuée par les astronautes d'Apollo 11 à Houston.
Dans cette photo d'archives fournie par la NASA le 20 juillet 1969, le personnel de contrôle de la mission observe la marche de la lune effectuée par les astronautes d'Apollo 11 à Houston.
Photo: Anonyme, AP
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Dans cette photo d'archives de juillet 1969, l'astronaute Edwin Aldrin passe devant le repose-pieds du module lunaire Apollo 11.
Dans cette photo d'archives de juillet 1969, l'astronaute Edwin Aldrin passe devant le repose-pieds du module lunaire Apollo 11.
Photo: NASA, AP
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Dans cette photo d'archive du 20 juillet 1969, l'astronaute Neil A. Armstrong, commandant d'Apollo 11, est vu à l'intérieur du module lunaire, tandis que le LM est posé sur la surface lunaire. Les astronautes Armstrong et Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., pilote du module lunaire, avaient déjà terminé leur activité extravéhiculaire lorsque cette photo a été prise. less
Dans cette photo d'archive du 20 juillet 1969, l'astronaute Neil A. Armstrong, commandant d'Apollo 11, est vu à l'intérieur du module lunaire, tandis que le LM est posé sur la surface lunaire. Les astronautes Armstrong et Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., … plus
Photo: Anonyme, AP
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ThinkFilm a fourni cette photo (de gauche à droite) de Neil Armstrong, Mike Collins et Buzz Aldrin après la mission Apollo 11 de juillet 1969 dans "À l’ombre de la lune".
ThinkFilm a fourni cette photo (de gauche à droite) de Neil Armstrong, Mike Collins et Buzz Aldrin après la mission Apollo 11 de juillet 1969 dans "À l’ombre de la lune".
Photo: Anonyme, PRESSE ASSOCIEE
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Le Dr Bill Carpenter prépare des récipients d'écouvillon dans l'installation de quarantaine mobile à bord du navire de récupération USS Hornet, en attendant le retour sur Terre des astronautes d'Apollo 11, le 21 juillet 1969. Après leur retour, les astronautes seront isolés dans l'installation de quarantaine mobile à bord du Hornet. less
Le Dr Bill Carpenter prépare des récipients de peau-écouvillon dans l'installation de quarantaine mobile à bord du navire de récupération USS Hornet, dans l'attente du retour sur Terre des astronautes d'Apollo 11, le 21 juillet 1969. Après … plus
Photo: Anonyme, PRESSE ASSOCIEE
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Cette photo du 24 juillet 1969 montre la réintégration d'Apollo 11 dans l'atmosphère terrestre.
This July 24, 1969 photo shows the re-entry of Apollo 11 into the earth's atmosphere.
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Apollo 11 slashdown in the Pacific, July 24, 1969.
Apollo 11 slashdown in the Pacific, July 24, 1969.
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS
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U.S.Navy personnel, protected by Biological Isolation Garments, is recovering the Apollo 11 crew from the re-entry vehicle, which landed safely in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969, after an eight day mission on the moon. less
U.S.Navy personnel, protected by Biological Isolation Garments, is recovering the Apollo 11 crew from the re-entry vehicle, which landed safely in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969, after an eight day mission … more
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS
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In this 1969 file photo, Apollo 11 astronauts stand next to their spacecraft in 1969, from left to right: Col. Edwin E. Aldrin, lunar module pilot; Neil Armstrong, flight commander; and Lt. Michael Collins, command module pilot. less
In this 1969 file photo, Apollo 11 astronauts stand next to their spacecraft in 1969, from left to right: Col. Edwin E. Aldrin, lunar module pilot; Neil Armstrong, flight commander; and Lt. Michael Collins, … more
Photo: Anonymous, AP
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Apollo 11 crew leaving recovery helicopter, July 24, 1969.
Apollo 11 crew leaving recovery helicopter, July 24, 1969.
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Misson control personnel wave flags to celebrate the the return to earth of Apollo 11 on July 24, 1969.
Misson control personnel wave flags to celebrate the the return to earth of Apollo 11 on July 24, 1969.
Photo: NASA, NYT
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Mrs. Edwin E. Aldrin (Joan) admitted to being tense during parts of the Apollo 11 mission, but she said Thursday, the day her husband splashed down, was different. Mrs. Aldrin and her children, from left, Janice, Michael and Andrew, held a hot but happy post-splashdown press conference. less
Mrs. Edwin E. Aldrin (Joan) admitted to being tense during parts of the Apollo 11 mission, but she said Thursday, the day her husband splashed down, was different. Mrs. Aldrin and her children, from left, … more
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In this July 24, 1969 file photo, President Richard Nixon, back to camera, greets the Apollo 11 astronauts in the quarantine van on board the U.S.S. Hornet after splashdown and recovery. The Apollo 11 crew from left: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin. less
In this July 24, 1969 file photo, President Richard Nixon, back to camera, greets the Apollo 11 astronauts in the quarantine van on board the U.S.S. Hornet after splashdown and recovery. The Apollo 11 crew … more
Photo: AP
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Neil A. Armstrong, commander of the Apollo 11 flight, greets his son Mark on telephone intercom system, while his wife Jan and another son Eric look on. Armstrong had just arrived in early morning with the Mobile Quarantine Facility at Ellington Air Force Base. Armstrong and fellow astronauts will remain in the MQF until arrival and confinement in the Crew Reception Area of the Lunar Receiving Laboratory at the Manned Spacecraft Center. Quarantine period will end on August 10, 1969. less
Neil A. Armstrong, commander of the Apollo 11 flight, greets his son Mark on telephone intercom system, while his wife Jan and another son Eric look on. Armstrong had just arrived in early morning with the … more
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The Apollo 11 crew in their isolation trailer, left to right: Neil Armstrong; Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins are greeted by their wives, left to right: Pat Collins; Jan Armstrong and Joan Aldrin after the spacemen arrived at Ellington AFB near the Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Tex. less
The Apollo 11 crew in their isolation trailer, left to right: Neil Armstrong; Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins are greeted by their wives, left to right: Pat Collins; Jan Armstrong and Joan Aldrin … more
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS
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In this Aug. 13, 1969 file photo, amid ticker tape and American flags, Apollo 11 astronauts wave to welcoming New Yorkers during parade up lower Broadway on Wednesday, in New York. The spacemen, from left, are Michael Collins, Edwin Aldrin, Jr., and Neil A. Armstrong. less
In this Aug. 13, 1969 file photo, amid ticker tape and American flags, Apollo 11 astronauts wave to welcoming New Yorkers during parade up lower Broadway on Wednesday, in New York. The spacemen, from left, are … more
Photo: Eddie Adams, AP
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This picture shows a display in honor of the Apollo 11 astronauts in a window of the Saks 5th Avenue store in New York in 1969.
This picture shows a display in honor of the Apollo 11 astronauts in a window of the Saks 5th Avenue store in New York in 1969.
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Celebration for Apollo 11 astronauts at the Astrodome, August 1969.
Celebration for Apollo 11 astronauts at the Astrodome, August 1969.
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Pope Paul VI looks through a magnifying lens as he examines a microfilm of messages from world leaders, brought to the moon by the Apollo 11 astronauts, during an audience in the pontiff`s private studio for them and their wives, Oct. 16, 1969. Standing behind the Pope, in front row, are (l/r:) Michael Collins; Msgr. P. Conveney, acting as interpreter; Edwin Aldrin and Neil Armstrong. less
Pope Paul VI looks through a magnifying lens as he examines a microfilm of messages from world leaders, brought to the moon by the Apollo 11 astronauts, during an audience in the pontiff`s private studio for … more
Photo: Anonymous, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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President Jimmy Carter is shown at the White House with the Apollo 11 crew in July of 1979, left to right: Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, and Neil Armstrong.
President Jimmy Carter is shown at the White House with the Apollo 11 crew in July of 1979, left to right: Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, and Neil Armstrong.
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Apollo astronauts, from left, Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Gene Cernan, and Walter Cunningham hold a press conference in a replica of an Apollo control room at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Friday July 16, 1999. The men were at the center to help celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch. less
Apollo astronauts, from left, Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Gene Cernan, and Walter Cunningham hold a press conference in a replica of an Apollo control room at Kennedy Space Center, Fla. Friday July 16, … more
Photo: TERRY RENNA, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, center, with fellow astronauts Edwin A. "Buzz" Aldrin, right, and Michael Collins, left, laugh Tuesday, July 20, 1999 at a ceremony in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, were they were presented the Langley Gold Medal for aviation by Vice President Al Gore. The event marks the 30th anniversay of the first landing on the moon by the three crew members. less
Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong, center, with fellow astronauts Edwin A. "Buzz" Aldrin, right, and Michael Collins, left, laugh Tuesday, July 20, 1999 at a ceremony in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in … more
Photo: DOUG MILLS, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin A. "Buzz" Aldrin is applauded by Vice President Al Gore after Gore presented him the Langley Gold Medal for aviation Tuesday, July 20, 1999 at a ceremony in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington. The event marks the 30th anniversay of the first landing on the moon by the three Apollo 11 crew members. In the background is the original Apollo 11 capsule. less
Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin A. "Buzz" Aldrin is applauded by Vice President Al Gore after Gore presented him the Langley Gold Medal for aviation Tuesday, July 20, 1999 at a ceremony in the Smithsonian Air and … more
Photo: DOUG MILLS, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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President Clinton looks at a piece of moon rock presented to him by Apollo 11 crew members Michael Collins, left, Neil Armstrong, second left, and Edwin A. "Buzz" Aldrin, right, during a visit to the White House. Carol Armstrong, wife of Neil, third left, and Lois Aldrin, second right, wife of Buzz, joined the presentation. Tuesday marks 30th anniversary of the first landing on the moon, and the men of Apollo 11 received the prestigious Langley Gold Medal for aviation Tuesday, as well as, met with Clinton. less
President Clinton looks at a piece of moon rock presented to him by Apollo 11 crew members Michael Collins, left, Neil Armstrong, second left, and Edwin A. "Buzz" Aldrin, right, during a visit to the White … more
Photo: RON EDMONDS, ASSOCIATED PRESS
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This image of Buzz Aldrin on the surface of the moon is one of the most iconic in all of Apollo 11's archives — and NASA's history. Aldrin walked on the moon on July 20, 1969 with crewmate Neil Armstrong. In the image, footprints fill the lunar soil to the left and the leg of the Lunar Module "Eagle" can be seen in the bottom right quadrant. less
This image of Buzz Aldrin on the surface of the moon is one of the most iconic in all of Apollo 11's archives — and NASA's history. Aldrin walked on the moon on July 20, 1969 with crewmate Neil Armstrong. In … more
Photo: CBSI/CNET
Thousands of Hours of Newly Released Audio Tell the Backstage Story of Apollo 11 Moon Mission
(Inside Science) — On July 20, 1969, just before 11 p.m. Eastern time, Neil Armstrong planted the first human footprints on another world. It was a defining moment in a journey that had transfixed the planet.
A few days earlier, Armstrong and his fellow astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins had blasted skyward atop a 6.2 million-pound rocket, embarking on an epic eight-day trip to the moon and back that included a brief stay in the moon's Sea of Tranquility and ended with a splash into the Pacific Ocean.
During the entire tense mission, NASA recorded thousands of hours of audio communications between the astronauts, mission control and backroom support staff.
For decades, most of these tapes sat in storage. Only a fraction of the audio — like Armstrong’s famous first words from the moon — were ever released to the public. But now a years-long project to digitize and process the audio from the tapes has given this historic record new life.
The original impetus for the project was simply to find a large set of audio data to help develop tools for assessing how teams work together.
But for NASA buffs, students, and the public, the audio also offers an opportunity to relive these historic moments from a new perspective.
“I think that Apollo 11 is one of the biggest engineering accomplishments in human history,” said Greg Wiseman, an audio engineer at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston involved in the project. “Landing on the moon wasn't just Neil Armstrong. It was an entire team of people working together to make it happen, and all of this audio is their side of the story.”
Only one machine in the world to play the tapes
After the Apollo missions ended, most of the audio tapes eventually made their way to the National Archives and Records Administration building in College Park, Maryland. The first step in the project was to find them.
“There were lots of emails from me to the NARA reps trying to figure out where these tapes are,” Wiseman said. The process reminded him of the last scene in Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, where the audience sees the ark being stored away in a gigantic warehouse. “It could be difficult to locate a few boxes of tapes in that vast ocean of historical treasures,” Wiseman wrote in a later email.
The hunt began after John Hansen, an electrical engineering researcher at the University of Texas at Dallas, contacted NASA with a request for audio. Hansen was leading a project to develop speech technology to parse long audio recordings of groups solving problems and was looking for test data. The Apollo audio fit the bill, but the next challenge was presented by mid-20th-century analog technology.
The existing tapes could be played only on a machine called a SoundScriber, a big beige and green contraption complete with vacuum tubes. NASA had two machines, but the first was cannibalized for parts to make the second one run.
“There is literally just one machine left on the planet that can decode [the audio]” said Abhijeet Sangwan, a researcher at UT Dallas who also worked on the project.
NASA tracked down a retired technician to help refurbish the machine and Hansen and his team designed and installed a custom read head. NASA had recorded the mission audio on 30-track tapes and the team needed to play all 30 tracks at once to minimize the time required to digitize them, as well as to avoid damaging the almost 50-year-old tapes by playing them over and over.
Once everything was operational, an undergraduate student ran the machine five days a week for months in order to capture all the audio from the Apollo 11 tapes, as well as most of the tapes from Apollo 13, Apollo 1 and the earlier Gemini 8. (The audio from Apollos 1 and 13 and Gemini 8 has not yet been cleared for release, and the researchers are now trying to get support to digitize the remaining Apollo 13 data.)
A resource for the speech processing community
With 19,000 hours of newly digitized data in hand, Hansen and his team began the complex task of analyzing it.
They built software programs to detect speech in the recordings, identify the speakers, group the audio by speaker turns, transcribe it, and detect positive and negative sentiments. Most state-of-the-art speech recognition algorithms are designed for short, transactional statements, like asking Siri for the weather forecast, so the sheer volume and complexity of the NASA tapes presented unique challenges.
The recordings had long stretches of silence, and when people were talking, the channels were often noisy or had the air-to-ground communications — the main mission broadcast — playing in the background. Plus, the engineers spoke a space mission-specific dialect that contained words absent from the dictionary. Hansen and his team spent about six months researching and collecting all the acronyms used by NASA, specifically for improving automatic speech recognition performance, he said.
After honing the algorithms, the researchers set up three large computing clusters on the UT Dallas campus and processed data continually for about seven months. The transcripts they produced range in accuracy from about 60 to 97 percent — not good enough to get a true historical record of what was said, but valuable to help analyze sentiments, and when combined with speaker identity, understand the engagement and problem-solving processes of the team members.
The team hopes the solutions they developed could also be applied to tasks such as monitoring the team dynamics of astronauts during a lengthy and stressful trip to Mars. Closer to home, the techniques could help analyze and improve the performance of large teams who rely on real-time audio communication, such as emergency response units or the military — or even something more mundane, like a conference call.
The data is an important resource for the speech processing community, Hansen said, because it is both long and naturalistic. He advertised the data at an international conference on the science and technology of spoken language processing this September and encouraged researchers to use it to develop better tools for key challenges in the field.
But another important mission of the project is sharing the data with the public.
The heroes behind the heroes
In advance of next summer's 50th anniversary of the first moon landing, NASA has cleared the Apollo 11 audio for public release. Student design teams from UT Dallas built a website, Explore Apollo, where the public can listen to some key moments from the missions.
NASA has also uploaded the audio to archive.org, a publicly accessible internet library of cultural artifacts, and it has been shared with filmmakers who are working on new ways to tell the moon landing story. Many retrospective projects on the Apollo 11 mission, such as the recently released movie First Man, focus on the heroics of the astronauts who risked their lives. But there were hundreds of others whose collective work was equally vital, including the more than 600 voices from the tapes.
“These are the heroes behind the heroes,” Hansen said.
Ben Feist, a software engineer currently based in Canada, is using the audio to build an interactive website where the public can explore the whole Apollo 11 mission timeline. It will be similar to Apollo17.org, a site he built to showcase a vast array of audio, video and photos from NASA’s last mission to the moon. However, the backroom audio channels from the newly digitized Apollo 11 tapes offer a new type of behind-the-scenes perspective.
For example, when Armstrong first stepped on the moon he was supposed to grab some surface material — called the contingency sample — right away, in case the mission had to be aborted. But as he began to explore and take pictures, he did not reach for any material. There was backroom discussion about whether he was going to pick up the sample, and the engineers seemed reluctant to remind him over a mission broadcast that was being streamed live to the media, Feist said. Finally, the CAPCOM — the person designated to speak to the astronauts from mission control — solved the problem by telling Armstrong that they see him retrieving the contingency sample, subtly signaling to the astronaut to do so, Feist explained.
Feist has processed the audio to remove a flutter and other distortions, and plans to give the cleaned-up version to the National Archives when the project is finished.
Because the tapes were recording continuously, they captured moments when NASA staff took breaks to chat with each other or call friends and family. “They were people just like us,” Feist said. They would sometimes phone home to say they would be late, or complain about overtime.
But when the engineers were on duty, a cool professionalism came through, according to many of the researchers who have listened to sections of the audio.
“NASA engineers and scientists are just the utmost professional people,” Hansen said. “There are things that would rattle other people and they are just as calm as you can be.”
“They are extremely focused and very calm,” echoed Wiseman.
It was left to the president of the United States, Richard Nixon, to gush. Upon greeting the Apollo 11 crew after they returned to Earth, he exclaimed, “This is the greatest week in the history of the world since Creation.”
And now a much more complete record of that exhilarating and exhausting week will be preserved in digital format for generations to come.
Reprinted with permission from Inside Science, an editorially independent news outlet of the American Institute of Physics, a nonprofit organization supporting the dissemination of science news and information to society.