Apollo 11 landing photos: NASA Apollo 11 July 20 1969 anniversary

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Photos: Apollo 11's historic mission

Relive the historic July 20 1969 Apollo 11 mission through these photos.

Astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin poses next to the U.S. flag July 20, 1969 on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. (Photo by NASA/Liaison)

The Apollo 11 mission patch.

Neil Armstrong steps onto the moon.

The Apollo 11 landing and subesequent moon landings inspired generations of scientists and engineers.

Buzz Aldrin carries equipment on the moon.

Michael Collins pilots the command module.

Apollo 11 blasts off from Kennedy Space Center.

Richard Nixon watches the recovery of the Apollo 11 crew from aboard the USS Hornet in the Pacific Ocean, some 900 miles south of Hawaii. At left is astronaut Frank Borman, who commanded Apollo 8.

The Daedalus Crater on the surface of the moon viewed from orbit aboard the command module Columbia, piloted by Mike Collins.

Neil Armstrong prepares to step off the lunar lander onto the surface of the moon.

The Apollo 11 astronauts make their way to the craft.

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stand on the surface of the moon near the flag they planted.

Buzz Aldrin stands outside the lunar module Eagle.

Neil Armstrong works in the lunar module.

376713 23: (FILE PHOTO) A pre-launch twilight photo of the The Apollo 11 Saturn V space vehicle. It lifted off July 16, 1969 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The space craft was injected into lunar orbit July 19, 1969 with Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. on board. The 30th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing mission is celebrated July 20, 1999. (Photo by NASA/Newsmakers)

376713 21: (FILE PHOTO) The Apollo 11 Saturn V space vehicle lifts off July 16, 1969 from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex in Florida. The space craft was injected into lunar orbit on July 19, 1969 with Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. on board. The 30th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing mission is celebrated July 20, 1999. (Photo by NASA/Newsmakers)

381858 01: 30Th Anniversary Of Apollo 11 Landing On The Moon (4 Of 20): Vice President Spiro Agnew And Former President Lyndon Johnson View The Liftoff Of Apollo 11 From The Stands Located At The Kennedy Space Center Vip Viewing Site. The Apollo 11 Saturn V Space Vehicle Lifted Off On July 16, 1969 And Was Injected Into Lunar Orbit On July 19 With Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins And Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., At 9:32 A.M. Edt July 16, 1969, From Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex In Florida. The Lm (Lunar Module) Landed On The Moon On July 20, 1969 And Returned To The Command Module On July 21. The Command Module Left Lunar Orbit On July 22 And Returned To Earth On July 24, 1969. Apollo 11 Splashed Down In The Pacific Ocean On 24 July 1969 At 12:50:35 P.M. Edt After A Mission Elapsed Time Of 195 Hrs, 18 Mins, 35 Secs. (Photo By Nasa/Getty Images)

376713 15: (FILE PHOTO) The Apollo 11 Saturn V space vehicle lifts off July 16, 1969 from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex in Florida. The space craft was injected into lunar orbit on July 19 with Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. on board. The 30th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing mission is celebrated July 20, 1999. (Photo by NASA/Newsmakers)

376713 08: (FILE PHOTO) The huge, 363-foot tall Apollo 11 Spacecraft is launched from Kennedy Space Center July 16, 1969. Aboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft were astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, command module pilot; and Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., lunar module pilot. Apollo 11 is the United States'' first lunar landing mission. The 30th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon mission is celebrated July 20, 1999. (Photo by NASA/Newsmakers)

376713 10: (FILE PHOTO) A close-up view of an astronaut's foot and foot print in the lunar soil is photographed with a 70mm lunar surface camera July 20, 1969 during the Apollo 11 lunar surface extravehicular activity (EVA). The 30th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon mission is celebrated July 20, 1999. (Photo by NASA/Newsmakers)

376713 03: (FILE PHOTO) Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., the lunar module pilot of the first lunar landing mission, stands next to a United States flag July 20, 1969 during an Apollo 11 Extravehicular Activity (EVA) on the surface of the Moon. The 30th anniversary of Apollo's moon landing is celebrated July 20, 1999. (Photo by NASA/Newsmakers)

30Th Anniversary Of Apollo 11 Landing On The Moon(15 Of 20): The Flag Of The United States Stands Alone On The Surface Of The Moon. (Photo By Nasa/Getty Images)

30Th Anniversary Of Apollo 11 Landing On The Moon (19 Of 20): Astronaut Neil Armstrong Inside The Lunar Module. Man's First Landing On The Moon Occurred At 4: 17 P.M. On July 20, 1969 As Lunar Module "Eagle" Touched Down Gently On The Sea Of Tranquility On The East Side Of The Moon. The Lm (Lunar Module) Landed On The Moon On July 20, 1969 And Returned To The Command Module On July 21. The Command Module Left Lunar Orbit On July 22 And Returned To Earth On July 24, 1969. Apollo 11 Splashed Down In The Pacific Ocean On July 24 1969 At 12: 50: 35 P.M. Edt After A Mission Elapsed Time Of 195 Hrs, 18 Mins, 35 Secs. (Photo By Nasa/Getty Images)

1969: Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin deploys a scientific experiment package on the surface of the moon. In the background is the Lunar Module, as is a flag of the United States. (Photo by Neil Armstrong/NASA/Getty Images)

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Astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin poses next to the U.S. flag July 20, 1969 on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. (Photo by NASA/Liaison)

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