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Mission record

Apollo 11

Also known as AS-506, SA-506, Apollo 11 CSM, Apollo 11 LM/EASEP, Columbia, Eagle, CSM-107, LM-5

NASA · Launched

Explore trajectory

Completed · Success

First crewed lunar landing. Apollo 11 launched on a Saturn V from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A on 16 July 1969. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed the Lunar Module Eagle in Mare Tranquilitatis on 20 July 1969 while Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit aboard the Command and Service Module Columbia. The crew deployed the EASEP surface experiment package, collected 21.55 kg of lunar rock and soil, and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on 24 July 1969.

Destinations
Launch vehicle
Saturn V (AS-506)
Launch site
Launch Pad 39A, Kennedy Space Center
Countries
United States
Mission types
Crewed, Lander, Orbiter, Sample return

Chronology

Mission timeline

  1. Launch

    Launch from Kennedy Space Center Pad 39A on Saturn V

    Apollo 11 lifted off at 13:32 UT (9:32 a.m. EDT) from pad 39A of Kennedy Space Center and entered Earth orbit.

    Earth

  2. Departure

    Translunar injection burn by the S-IVB stage

    After 1 1/2 Earth orbits the S-IVB stage was re-ignited for a translunar injection burn of 5 minutes, 48 seconds, putting the spacecraft on course for the Moon.

    Earth

  3. Milestone

    Apollo 11 S-IVB separated from Columbia

    Adamo Table 25 gives CSM/S-IVB separation at 16:47:23 GMT; Table 26 defines the nominal S-IVB initial state at 16:47:23.0 GMT. Historical GMT-to-UTC realization is unresolved.

    Earth

  4. Milestone

    Mated CSM/LM ejected from the S-IVB

    Adamo Table 25 reports GET 004:17:03 and GMT 17:49:03. The nominal reconstruction supplies no separately validated impulse state for the ejection.

    Earth

  5. Milestone

    Finite post-TLI S-IVB propulsive accelerations began

    Adamo Table 25 gives the finite acceleration start. The nominal model replaces these accelerations with an impulse at 18:49 GMT; no states are published through the finite-burn interval.

    Earth

  6. Milestone

    Finite post-TLI S-IVB propulsive accelerations ended

    Adamo Table 25 gives the finite acceleration end. The supported coasts stop at 18:23:06 and resume at 19:14:28 GMT, leaving the documented burn interval unsupported.

    Earth

  7. Orbit insertion

    Lunar orbit insertion

    Achieved by a retrograde firing of the CSM main engine for 357.5 seconds while the spacecraft was behind the Moon and out of contact with Earth; a later 17 second burn circularized the orbit.

    Moon

  8. Flyby

    Apollo 11 S-IVB lunar pericynthion

    Adamo Table 25 reports lunar pericynthion at 20:14:00 GMT on July 19 at 3,379 km altitude. This is a reconstruction constraint, not an independently published state vector.

    Moon

  9. Deployment

    Lunar Module Eagle undocks from Columbia

    The LM and CSM undocked in lunar orbit; a separation maneuver followed at 18:11:53 UT after a visual inspection by Collins.

    Moon

  10. Landing

    Eagle lands in Mare Tranquilitatis

    The LM landed at 20:17:40 UT (4:17:40 p.m. EDT) in Mare Tranquilitatis, with Armstrong reporting "Houston, Tranquility Base here - the Eagle has landed".

    Moon

  11. Sample collection

    Collection of 21.55 kg of lunar rock and soil

    During the single lunar surface EVA the astronauts deployed instruments, took photographs, and collected 21.55 kg of lunar rock and soil, including two core tube samples.

    Moon

  12. Milestone

    Armstrong becomes the first human to step onto the Moon

    Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface at 02:56:15 UT on 21 July (10:56:15 p.m. July 20 EDT), stating "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind". Aldrin followed 19 minutes later.

    Moon

  13. Deployment

    EASEP deployed on the lunar surface and switched on

    The EASEP was deployed approximately 17 m south of the LM and was turned on by ground command at 04:40:39 UT while the astronauts were still on the surface.

    Moon

  14. Milestone

    Lunar surface EVA ends

    The EVA ended when the LM hatch was closed.

    Moon

  15. Departure

    Eagle ascent stage lifts off from the Moon

    The LM lifted off from the Moon after 21 hours, 36 minutes on the lunar surface.

    Moon

  16. Milestone

    Eagle docks with Columbia in lunar orbit

    The LM ascent stage docked with the CSM, piloted by Michael Collins, in lunar orbit.

    Moon

  17. Milestone

    Lunar Module ascent stage jettisoned into lunar orbit

    The LM was jettisoned into lunar orbit.

    Moon

  18. Departure

    Transearth injection burn

    Transearth injection began with a 2 1/2 minute firing of the CSM main engine; a mid-course correction was made later on 22 July.

    Moon

  19. Mission end

    Splashdown in the Pacific Ocean and recovery

    Apollo 11 splashed down at 16:50:35 UT (12:50:35 p.m. EDT) after a mission elapsed time of 195 hrs, 18 mins, 35 secs, at 13 deg 19 min N, 169 deg 9 min W, 24 km (15 mi) from the recovery ship USS Hornet. The CM separated from the SM at 16:21:13 UT.

    Earth

  20. Loss of contact

    EASEP stops accepting commands and the experiment is terminated

    Near noon of the second lunar day the EASEP no longer accepted commands from Earth stations and the experiment was terminated. Transmission had previously been stopped by ground command at 11:58:46 UT on 3 August 1969 as power dropped before lunar sunset.

    Moon

Mission architecture

Vehicles

  • Columbia (Command and Service Module, CSM-107) · Spacecraft · completed

    Destinations: Moon

    • Eagle (Lunar Module, LM-5) · Lander

      Destinations: Moon

      • Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package (EASEP) · Other

        Destinations: Moon

  • Apollo 11 S-IVB-506 · Other

Trajectory record

Time-dependent navigation trajectory

Source states place the model at the selected time. Reconstructed flight, estimates, predictions and historical mission plans are identified by interval; gaps remain visible.

J2000 · Sun-centered display · positions interpolated between source states

Coverage: July 16, 1969 to July 28, 1969

Source records and sampling assumptions are retained with the repository data. Model attitude and surface appearance are illustrative.

  • Apollo 11 S-IVB-506: Reconstructed · July 17, 1969 to July 28, 1969
  • Apollo 11 Columbia and attached Eagle: Physically reconstructed based on publicly available data · July 16, 1969 to July 17, 1969

Provenance

Sources

Each source is listed once and labeled with the mission, event, trajectory, or destination/body context it supports.

Data verified through October 4, 2026