Related Links...
NASA Created — July 29, 1958
NASA's First — The Mercury Seven
Mariner 4 — The Mars Flyby
Gemini IV — The First American Spacewalk
Apollo 7 — A Pioneering Triumph
Apollo 12 — November 1969
Challenger 1984 — The First Untethered Space Walk
Locating Planet-X (Pluto)
Viking 1 — The First Mars Landing
Our Lunar Legacy
As of this writing, the United States is the only country to have crew members walk on the Moon — in fact, we did so six times between 1969 and 1972.
The first of these missions was Apollo 11. The spaceflight was launched on July 16, 1969, and returned to Earth on July 24, 1969…
On July 20th, 1969, Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on the surface of the Moon. On July 21st, 1969, at 02:56 UTC, Neil Armstrong became the first human to step onto the lunar surface. Buzz Aldrin followed 19 minutes later.
The Small Step and The Giant Leap
When Neil Armstrong descended the ladder of the lunar module and stepped onto the surface of the Moon, the event was broadcast worldwide. Armstrong is remembered for his famous and descriptive quote, “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Of course, the mission began eight years earlier when John F. Kennedy proposed the national goal of “landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth.” While Neil Armstrong’s step onto the powdery surface of the moon was a small step for man, the overall mission to send people to the moon and bring them back safely was the giant leap for mankind.
The Space Race and the American Flag
This story would be incomplete without a nod to the international competition that started it all. President Kennedy was not shy about acknowledging that the impetus behind the mission to the Moon was delivering a message to Russia and to the world that the United States was the most advanced and capable nation on the planet.
While there was some conversation about planting a United Nations flag on the first landing, the consensus ultimately was to plant a U.S. flag. Starting with the first lunar landing, an American flag was planted each of the six times humans walked on the Moon.
There is no wind in space, so the American-made 3x5 Nylon American flags were assembled with a horizontal pole through a hemmed pocket to support the top of the flag and to make it appear to fly somewhat similarly to how it would float in the wind on Earth.
Lunar Landing Video Footage
For more on the lunar landing, here are some of the best videos we could find, including the entire flight sequence and the first planting of the American flag on the Moon.
Reading the Plaque and Planting the American Flag – 3 minutes
Flight Pattern Overview and Complete Landing Footage – 19 minutes
NASA Footage of the Historic Apollo 11 Moonwalk – 3 hours, 16 minutes
Share Your Pictures With Us!
Send us your pictures of your own American flags, flagpoles, ropes, or other accessories! We would be honored to feature your photography in our blog or on Facebook. Remember, photos of damaged flags and accessories are valuable, too.
Was this information useful to you?
Do you have suggestions for information you'd like to see here? If so, please send them our way!
Please send all of your suggestions or questions to [email protected]. We want to hear from you!
Have a great day, from your friends at LIBERTY FLAGS, The American Wave®.
