Building on years of work with Project Mercury and Project Gemini in the early 1960s, NASA’s Apollo program dedicated itself to putting Americans safely on the lunar surface before 1970, fulfilling a national goal set by President John F. Kennedy. The systems, materials, and techniques necessary to do this were nearly all brand new, and required extensive testing and research before they were sent 240,000 miles away from home. The astronauts were new to this as well, pioneers headed to a new world—literally. The world was fascinated with NASA’s progress as it approached the launch of Apollo 11 in July 1969, when the astronauts Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin, and Neil Armstrong left Earth to touch down on the moon. Collected here, some of the training, preparation, and daily life that occupied the astronauts and their NASA support team in the months leading up to Apollo 11. Editor’s Note: This article is part of a series reflecting on the Apollo 11 mission, 50 years later.
Bound for the Moon: Apollo 11 Preparation in Photos
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The Bell Aerosystems Lunar Landing Research Vehicle (LLRV) and the astronaut Neil Armstrong (left), photographed at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California prior to the launch of Apollo 11 #
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A group portrait of NASA's Apollo 11 astronauts posing with their families around a model of the moon in March 1969. Pictured are: (at top, from left) the astronaut Michael Collins; his children, Mike, Kate, and Ann; and his wife, Pat; (at left) the astronaut Buzz Aldrin; his wife, Joan; and his children, Mike, Jan, and Andy; and (at right) the astronaut Neil Armstrong; his wife, Jan; and his sons, Ricky and Mark. #
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Original caption: Practicing for the Big One at Ellington A.F.B., Texas. Apollo 11 Commander Neil Armstrong flies the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle in preparation for the lunar-landing attempt in July. The flight lasted for five minutes, during which Armstrong made two takeoffs and landings. He flew the craft to an altitude of some 300 feet. #
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The astronaut Buzz Aldrin paddles to the shore of Lake Texoma during training at the U.S. Air Force Air Defense Command Life Support School at Perrin Air Force Base in Sherman, Texas. He sits in a one-man life raft. He was dropped into the water after making a parasail ascent some 400 feet above the lake. #
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From a Life magazine series on the Apollo astronauts at home, a photo of Michael and Pat Collins and their children enjoying a relaxing pancake breakfast in March 1969 #
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Apollo 11 Commander Neil Armstrong trains in the spacesuit he will wear on the lunar surface. A camera is attached to his chest, giving him full use of his arms; the backpack provides oxygen, pressurization, and temperature control. #
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The final checkout of the Apollo 11 lunar module takes place on April 11, 1969, in the Open Bay Area of the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building at Kennedy Space Center. #
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Neil Armstrong (left) and Buzz Aldrin brief NASA managers before a training session described in the crew-training summary as a "Lunar Timeline Demo for Dr. Mueller" on April 22, 1969. #
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The astronaut Buzz Aldrin, fully suited, gets in more training time under partially weightless conditions aboard a KC-135 aircraft from the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base on July 9, 1969. The moon's gravity is about one-sixth that of Earth. #
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Readying for launch, a technician works atop the white room, through which the astronauts will enter the spacecraft, alongside the 363-foot (111-meter) Saturn V rocket standing on the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center. #
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