SPACE HISTORY: Apollo 11 Photo and Video Timeline
By Space Coast Daily // July 17, 2014
45 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
ABOVE VIDEO: This documentary was produced to mark the 40th anniversary of the Apollo lunar landing. It covers the full scope of the Apollo program and features interviews with many of the Apollo astronauts.
Apollo 11 Launch
July 16, 1969
“Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy on July 16, 1969, carrying Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin into an initial Earth-orbit of 114 by 116 miles.”
Translunar Orbit
July 16, 1969
“Two hours, 44 minutes and one-and-a-half revolutions after launch, the S-IVB stage reignited for a second burn of five minutes, 48 seconds, placing Apollo 11 into a translunar orbit.”
SPS Three-Second Burn
July 17, 1969
“Later, on July 17, a three-second burn of the SPS was made to perform the second of four scheduled midcourse corrections programmed for the flight.”
Second TV Transmission
July 18, 1969
“On July 18, Armstrong and Aldrin put on their spacesuits and climbed through the docking tunnel from Columbia to Eagle to check out the LM, and to make the second TV transmission.”
First Lunar Orbit Insertion Maneuver
July 19, 1969
“On July 19, after Apollo 11 had flown behind the moon out of contact with Earth, came the first lunar orbit insertion maneuver.”
Second Man on the Moon
July 20, 1969
“About 20 minutes later, Aldrin followed him. Commemorative medallions bearing the names of the three Apollo 1 astronauts who lost their lives in a launch pad fire, and two cosmonauts who also died in accidents, were left on the moon’s surface.”
Lunar Landing
July 20, 1969
“Partially piloted manually by Armstrong, the Eagle landed in the Sea of Tranquility in Site 2 at 0 degrees, 41 minutes, 15 seconds north latitude and 23 degrees, 26 minutes east longitude. This was about four miles downrange from the predicted touchdown point and occurred almost one-and-a-half minutes earlier than scheduled.”
First Man on the Moon
July 20, 1969
“At about 109 hours, 42 minutes after launch, Armstrong stepped onto the moon.”
Eagle Undocks From Columbia
July 20, 1969
“On July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin entered the LM again, made a final check, and at 100 hours, 12 minutes into the flight, the Eagle undocked and separated from Columbia for visual inspection.”
Eagle and Columbia Reconnect
July 21, 1969
“Armstrong and Aldrin spent 21 hours, 36 minutes on the moon’s surface. After a rest period that included seven hours of sleep, the ascent stage engine fired at 124 hours, 22 minutes. Docking with Columbia occurred on the CSM’s 27th revolution at 128 hours, three minutes into the mission. Armstrong and Aldrin returned to the CSM with Collins. Four hours later, the LM jettisoned and remained in lunar orbit.”
Trans-Earth Injections Begins
July 21, 1969
“Trans-Earth injection of the CSM began July 21 as the SPS fired for two-and-a-half minutes when Columbia was behind the moon in its 59th hour of lunar orbit. Following this, the astronauts slept for about 10 hours.”
Midcourse Correction
July 22, 1969
“An 11.2 second firing of the SPS accomplished the only midcourse correction required on the return flight. The correction was made July 22 at about 150 hours, 30 minutes into the mission. Two more television transmissions were made during the trans-Earth coast.”
(Picture courtesy of NASA)
Apollo 11 Lands Back on Earth
July 24, 1969
“Re-entry procedures were initiated July 24, 44 hours after leaving lunar orbit. After a flight of 195 hours, 18 minutes, 35 seconds — about 36 minutes longer than planned — Apollo 11 splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, 13 miles from the recovery ship USS Hornet. Because of bad weather in the target area, the landing point was changed by about 250 miles. Apollo 11 landed 13 degrees, 19 minutes north latitude and 169 degrees, nine minutes west longitude July 24, 1969.”
