Who was the commander of Apollo 11, the first crewed mission to land on the Moon?

Neil Armstrong was the commander of Apollo 11, the first crewed mission to land on the Moon.

Apollo 11 launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on July 16, 1969. Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin landed the lunar module Eagle in the Sea of Tranquility on July 20, while command module pilot Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit. Armstrong became the first person to step onto the lunar surface, followed shortly by Aldrin.

The mission fulfilled President John F. Kennedy’s 1961 goal of landing a person on the Moon and returning them safely to Earth before the decade ended. Apollo 11 returned to Earth on July 24, 1969, after collecting lunar samples, taking photographs, and carrying out experiments.

A common mistake is naming Aldrin as commander because he was the second person on the Moon. Collins also had a crucial role, but he did not descend to the surface. Armstrong held the mission’s commander position.