Apollo 11 was the NASA mission that first landed humans on the Moon.
The Apollo 11 lunar module Eagle landed in the Moon’s Sea of Tranquility on July 20, 1969. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin descended to the surface, while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit aboard the command module Columbia.
Armstrong became the first person to step onto the lunar surface, followed by Aldrin. The astronauts collected lunar samples, photographed the terrain, deployed scientific instruments, and left a commemorative plaque. They returned safely to Earth on July 24, 1969.
Apollo 11 was part of the United States Apollo program, which met President John F. Kennedy’s goal of landing humans on the Moon and returning them safely before the end of the 1960s. Apollo 8 had previously carried humans around the Moon but did not land there. Apollo 13 also traveled toward the Moon but was aborted after an onboard explosion.