Apollo 11’s lunar module, which landed astronauts on the Moon in 1969, was named Eagle.
Eagle carried Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin from lunar orbit to the surface on 20 July 1969. Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit aboard the command module Columbia. The call sign reflected the bald eagle shown on the mission insignia and a United States national symbol.
After landing, Armstrong radioed, “The Eagle has landed,” reporting that the spacecraft had reached the lunar surface. The landing site was later named Tranquility Base. Eagle lifted off from the Moon’s surface in the ascent stage and rendezvoused with Columbia before the crew returned to Earth.
A common mix-up is confusing Eagle with Columbia: Columbia was Apollo 11’s command module, while Eagle was the lunar module. Apollo 11’s lunar module ascent stage was later left in lunar orbit, where it eventually crashed into the Moon.