4 lesser-known facts about the first lunar landing
On 20th July 1969, three American astronauts namely commander Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin Aldrin created a scientific breakthrough when they first landed on the surface of the moon. This lunar mission was part of NASA’s Apollo 11 mission that is still etched in history for its first-of-its -kind success. Here are some of the facts about this space mission that few of us know about.
The first lunar mission was one of the first ever space races
The Apollo 11 mission not only made history but also acted as the official victory of USA in its space race with the USSR. In 1961, American President John F. Kennedy had declared to the world that he intends to send his men to the moon by the end of that decade.
Edwin Aldrin was officially supposed to be the first man on moon
As most of us have heard time and again that Neil Armstrong was officially the first man to step on the lunar surface. However, it was supposed to be Edwin Aldrin, the junior-most crew member. According to NASA’s rules, it is always the junior crew member who first steps outside a spacecraft so that the senior ones can stay behind the controls. However, in this case, an exception was made. NASA claims that design challenges forced Neil Armstrong to step out first, but the real reason still remains unknown.
Commoners stayed in camps to witness history
Florida is well known for its sandy beaches and amusement parks. However, in July 1969, both locals and tourists were said to have camped around the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida for a whole different reason. In fact, for more than 10 days, people from across the world surrounded the region with the single united goal of securing front-row seats to the historical event of first lunar landing.
Many Americans protested against the Apollo 11 mission
While millions of people witnessed the historic event live from near the Kennedy Space Centre or on their television sets, many people across USA held protests against the Apollo 11 mission. The protesters mainly comprised of African Americans led by civil rights leaders like Ralph Abernathy who wanted to bring to attention the persistent poverty and other socio-economical problems that were prevalent in the then USA. Their argument was that the billions of dollars spent on the mission could have been better invested to ensure the well-being of Americans on earth.