Who was the first person to walk on the Moon, in July 1969?

Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the Moon, during NASA’s Apollo 11 mission in July 1969. Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface on July 21, 1969, at 02:56 UTC, after the mission’s lunar module, Eagle, landed in the Sea of Tranquility.

Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin spent more than two hours outside the lunar module collecting rock and soil samples, taking photographs, and deploying scientific instruments. Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit aboard the command module Columbia. The three astronauts returned safely to Earth on July 24 after the first crewed lunar landing.

A common mix-up is placing Buzz Aldrin first: Aldrin was the second person to walk on the Moon and joined Armstrong shortly afterward. John Glenn was the first American to orbit Earth, while Yuri Gagarin was the first human in space. Armstrong’s famous first step made him one of the most recognizable figures in space exploration.