JOHN F. KENNEDY: WE CHOOSE TO GO TO THE MOON.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] WE CHOOSE TO GO TO THE MOON IN THIS DECADE AND DO THE OTHER THINGS NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE EASY BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE HARD.

MAN: LIFTOFF.

WE HAVE A LIFTOFF.

LIFTOFF ON APOLLO 11.

DIFFERENT MAN: WHAT A MOMENT.

MAN ON THE WAY TO THE MOON.

[MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE] [DIFFERENT MAN SPEAKING DIFFERENT NATIVE LANGUAGE] NEIL ARMSTRONG: THAT'S ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND.

[TAPE REWINDING] [TAPE REWINDING] JESUS CHRIST, LOOK AT THAT HORIZON.

MAN: YOU'RE GO TO CONTINUE POWERED DESCENT.

YOU ARE GO TO CONTINUE POWERED DESCENT.

[BEEP] [BEEPING] PROGRAM ALARM.

MAN: GIVE US A READING ON THE 1202 PROGRAM ALARM.

ARMSTRONG: HOUSTON...

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED.

MAN: JUST FOR ME CLEAN ON TAPE, SAY, "I'M NEIL ARMSTRONG, SPACECRAFT COMMANDER, APOLLO 11."

ARMSTRONG: I'M NEIL ARMSTRONG, COMMANDER, APOLLO 11.

MAN: WOULD YOU PREFER "BUZZ" OR "EDWIN"?

ALDRIN: I'M EDWIN E. ALDRIN, JR., LUNAR MODULE PILOT, ON THE MISSION APOLLO 11.

MAN: JUST LOOK RIGHT AT ME AND SAY, "I'M MICHAEL COLLINS, COMMAND MODULE PILOT."

COLLINS: I'M MICHAEL COLLINS, COMMAND MODULE PILOT, APOLLO 11.

MAN: THE ACCOMPLISHMENT THAT YOU EXPECT TO ACHIEVE IS OFTEN COMPARED TO THAT OF COLUMBUS.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT SUCH COMPARISONS?

COLUMBUS WASN'T SURE WHERE HE WAS GOING.

I VERY MUCH HOPE THAT WE WON'T TERMINATE AT SOME PLACE THAT WE DIDN'T EXPECT TO, SOME PLANET THAT WE HADN'T PLANNED TO VISIT.

THE CREW OF APOLLO 11 IS UNIQUE.

MAN: THANKS VERY MUCH, BUZZ ALDRIN.

I WASN'T FINISHED.

OH.

OH, OK, OK, LET'S BACK UP.

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA, WHOA.

ADDITIONALLY, THEY ARE UNUSUAL.

MAN: YOU WANT TO START OVER?

NO, I DON'T WANT TO START OVER.

DO YOU?

[LAUGHTER] AND THEY ALSO HAVE ANOTHER MINOR DISTINCTION.

THEY, PERHAPS, HAVE BEEN ASKED MORE QUESTIONS THAN ALMOST ANYBODY IN THE WORLD.

WHY ARE YOU GOING?

WHY ARE WE SENDING MEN AND NOT MACHINES?

DO YOU EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO SLEEP?

MAN: DO YOU FEEL THAT THE PUBLIC IS PUTTING TOO MUCH HOPE ON THIS LANDING?

DIFFERENT MAN: AND IT'S NOT AN EASY CHORE FOR THEM TO PERFORM.

THEY'RE NOT NATURALLY TALKATIVE MEN.

DIFFERENT MAN: I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I'M STAGGERED ABOUT GOING TO THE MOON.

AREN'T YOU FELLAS?

DIFFERENT MAN: DO YOU THINK NASA MADE A MISTAKE NOT PLANNING FOR CAPABILITY OF RISK...

DIFFERENT MAN: YOUR MISSION HAS BEEN GIVEN AN 80% CHANCE OF SUCCESS.

DIFFERENT MAN: WHAT 4 EVENTS IN THE FLIGHT, IN ORDER, IF YOU CAN, DO YOU CONSIDER THE MOST DANGEROUS?

DIFFERENT MAN: ...WE OUGHT TO USE "IF" A LITTLE MORE INSTEAD OF SAYING "WHEN" YOU LAND ON THE MOON?

DIFFERENT MAN: THERE'S BEEN SPECULATION ABOUT WHAT THE FIRST MAN ON THE MOON WILL SAY WHEN HE GETS THERE.

WILL YOU PREPARE SOMETHING AHEAD OF TIME?

ANNOUNCER: THIS IS CBS NEWS COLOR COVERAGE OF "MAN ON THE MOON, THE EPIC JOURNEY OF APOLLO 11."

SPONSORED BY KELLOGG'S.

KELLOGG'S PUTS MORE IN YOUR MORNING.

HERE FROM CBS NEWS, CORRESPONDENT WALTER CRONKITE.

GOOD MORNING.

THE ASTRONAUTS ARE ON BOARD NOW.

NEXT STOP FOR THEM: THE MOON.

THE 3 ASTRONAUTS ARE NOW IN THEIR TINY SPACECRAFT ON TOP OF THIS ENORMOUS ROCKET.

THEY HAVE ABOUT 160 CUBIC FEET IN THERE, WHICH IS ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE INTERIOR OF A SMALL AUTOMOBILE.

THERE IS TIME, IF ONLY BRIEFLY IN THIS BUSY MORNING, TO THINK OF THOSE 3 MEN AND THE BURDENS AND THE HOPES THAT THEY CARRY ON BEHALF OF ALL MANKIND.

MAN: WE ARE GO FOR APOLLO 11.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] MAN: OUR STATUS BOARD INDICATES THE THIRD STAGE COMPLETELY PRESSURIZED.

ALL THE SECOND STAGE TANKS NOW PRESSURIZED.

[TYPEWRITER KEYS CLACKING] MAN: POWER TRANSFER IS COMPLETE.

DIFFERENT MAN: APOLLO 11, THE LAUNCH TEAM WISHES YOU GOOD LUCK AND GODSPEED.

12, 11, 10, 9, IGNITION SEQUENCE START.

6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

LIFTOFF.

WE HAVE A LIFTOFF.

LIFTOFF ON APOLLO 11.

TOWER CLEARED.

CRONKITE: WHAT A MOMENT.

MAN ON THE WAY TO THE MOON.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] MAN: YOU GET A FEELING THAT PEOPLE THINK OF THESE MEN AS NOT JUST SUPERIOR MEN BUT AS DIFFERENT CREATURES.

WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A LANGUAGE TO DESCRIBE THIS THING.

WHAT ARE THE WORDS YOU USE?

HOW DO YOU SAY, "HIGH AS THE SKY" ANYMORE?

OR "THE SKY'S THE LIMIT"?

I MEAN, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

MAN: FIDO FLIGHT, HOW ARE YOU?

DIFFERENT MAN: LOOKING GOOD, FLIGHT.

DIFFERENT MAN: GNC.

DIFFERENT MAN: LOOKS GOOD, FLIGHT.

EECOMM?

DIFFERENT MAN: LOOKING GOOD, FLIGHT.

DIFFERENT MAN: ROGER.

DIFFERENT MAN: BOOSTER FLIGHT, HOW ARE YOU?

DIFFERENT MAN: [INDISTINCT] FLIGHT.

DIFFERENT MAN: MARK.

DIFFERENT MAN: MARK.

MODE 1 CHARLIE.

DIFFERENT MAN: GO.

DIFFERENT MAN: FIDO, GO.

[INDISTINCT], GO.

[BEEP] MAN: HOUSTON.

THRUST IS GO, ALL ENGINES.

YOU'RE LOOKING GOOD.

[BEEP] MAN: ROGER TOWER.

[BEEP] MAN: NEIL ARMSTRONG CONFIRMING BOTH THE ENGINE SKIRT SEPARATION AND THE LAUNCH ESCAPE TOWER SEPARATION.

CRONKITE: NEXT CRITICAL MOMENT WILL BE WHEN THAT SECOND STAGE JETTISONS.

[BEEP] MAN: APOLLO 11, THIS IS HOUSTON.

PREDICTED CUTOFF AT 1-1 PLUS 4-2.

OVER.

[BEEP] [BEEP] MAN: APOLLO 11, THIS IS HOUSTON.

YOU ARE CONFIRMED GO FOR ORBIT.

CRONKITE: SO, THIS FIRST ALWAYS DRAMATIC AND DANGEROUS LAUNCH PHASE HAS PASSED, AND APOLLO 11 IS ON THE WAY.

THIS IS THE FLIGHT FROM WHICH MAN WILL FIRST SET FOOT ON THE MOON.

WE ALMOST GLIBLY TOSS THAT LINE AWAY NOW.

MAN ON THE MOON.

BUT BY GOLLY, JUST THINK IT OVER.

CBS NEWS COLOR COVERAGE, THE LAUNCH DAY OF APOLLO 11, WILL CONTINUE IN A MOMENT.

[CAMERA'S SHUTTER CLICKING] MAN: WHEN THE SPACECRAFT HAS BEEN THOROUGHLY CHECKED OUT BY THE CREW, THE THIRD STAGE FIRES AGAIN, ITS SPEED NOW TEARING IT FREE FROM THE GRIP OF EARTH'S GRAVITY.

MAN: THIS IS APOLLO CONTROL.

WE EXPECT THE TRANSLUNAR INJECTION BURN AT TWO HOURS, 44 MINUTES.

[BEEP] DIFFERENT MAN: WE CONFIRM IGNITION AND THE THRUST IS GO.

[BEEP] CRONKITE: WE'RE WAITING FOR WORD OF THE SEPARATION FROM THE COMMAND MODULE GOING OFF ON ITS OWN.

MAN: WHILE COASTING OUTWARD, THE COMMAND SERVICE MODULE SEPARATES AND DOCKS FOR ACCESS TO THE LUNAR MODULE, AND THE EMPTY THIRD STAGE IS LEFT BEHIND.

[BEEP] MAN: APOLLO 11, THIS IS HOUSTON.

YOU'RE GO FOR SEPARATION.

CRONKITE: THIS NEXT MAJOR FUNCTION NOW IS THE COMMAND MODULE POSTING OUT 50 FEET AWAY.

CRONKITE: THE COMMAND MODULE WILL TURN AROUND 180 DEGREES.

THE COMMAND MODULE WILL TOUCH AROUND AND COME BACK AND WITH THE NOSE IN, COME IN AND DOCK WITH THE LUNAR MODULE.

MAN: BUT IT'S A VERY, VERY DELICATE, CONTROLLED TASK.

[CLANKING] [BEEP] CRONKITE: WITH THE LUNAR MODULE ATTACHED TO THEIR NOSE, THEY'LL BE ON THE WAY ON THEIR 3-DAY VOYAGE TO THE MOON AND INTO THE PAGES OF HISTORY.

[BEEP] AND APOLLO 11, HOUSTON, YOU'RE--ALL YOUR SYSTEMS LOOK REAL GOOD TO US.

WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED.

[BEEP] CRONKITE: WE HAVE SEEN SOMETHING SPECTACULAR TODAY.

SOMETHING WE'LL BE TELLING OUR GRANDCHILDREN ABOUT.

SOMETHING OUR GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN WILL UNDOUBTEDLY BE UNDERTAKING THEMSELVES ON AN EXCURSION BASIS.

THIS IS WALTER CRONKITE, CBS NEWS, AT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER IN FLORIDA.

MAN: APOLLO 11, THIS IS HOUSTON.

IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN THE MORNING NEWS, I'VE GOT A SUMMARY HERE, OF COURSE.

MAN: WASHINGTON.

UPI.

VICE PRESIDENT SPIRO T. AGNEW HAS CALLED FOR PUTTING A MAN ON MARS BY THE YEAR 2000, BUT DEMOCRATIC LEADERS REPLIED THAT PRIORITY MUST GO TO NEEDS ON EARTH.

LAREDO, TEXAS.

IMMIGRATION OFFICIALS IN NUEVO LAREDO ANNOUNCED THAT HIPPIES WILL BE REFUSED TOURIST CARDS TO ENTER MEXICO UNLESS THEY TAKE A BATH AND GET HAIRCUTS.

LONDON.

THE HOUSE OF LORDS WAS ASSURED THAT A MIDGET AMERICAN SUBMARINE WOULD NOT, QUOTE, DAMAGE OR ASSAULT, UNQUOTE, THE LOCH NESS MONSTER.

MAN: APOLLO 11'S DISTANCE FROM THE EARTH IS NOW 112,386 NAUTICAL MILES.

VELOCITY 4,906 FEET PER SECOND.

[BEEP] [BEEP] YOU GOT A LITTLE BIT OF-- [BEEP] [BEEP] [BEEP] [BEEP] [BEEP] MAN: ROGER, WE COPY.

[BEEP] MAN: ROGER, APOLLO 11.

THANK YOU MUCH FOR THE SHOW.

APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OUT.

[BEEP] [BEEP] MAN: APOLLO 11, HOUSTON, OVER.

[BEEP] GO AHEAD, HOUSTON.

[BEEP] MAN: ROGER.

I'VE GOT THE MORNING NEWS HERE.

OVER.

[BEEP] IN CORBY, ENGLAND, AN IRISHMAN, JOHN COYLE, HAS WON THE WORLD'S PORRIDGE EATING CHAMPIONSHIP BY CONSUMING 23 BOWLS OF INSTANT OATMEAL.

[BEEP] [BEEP] MAN: IS HE PRETTY GOOD AT THAT?

[BEEP] [BEEP] [BEEP] MAN: ROGER.

MALE REPORTER: IT ALMOST SEEMS THAT NEIL ARMSTRONG'S LIFE WAS INTENDED TO WORK OUT THIS WAY.

DIFFERENT MALE REPORTER: BEFORE THE MOON, THERE WAS FLYING.

ARMSTRONG WAS, NEEDLESS TO SAY, A HOT PILOT IN THE NAVY.

HE SURVIVED THE ONLY FORCED LANDING IN THE HISTORY OF THE SPACE PROGRAM, AND WHEN A LUNAR TRAINING VEHICLE WENT OUT OF CONTROL, FORCING HIM TO BAIL OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME IN HIS LIFE, A FRIEND CONCLUDED HE WAS EITHER THE BEST... OR THE LUCKIEST PILOT AROUND.

ANYONE ELSE PAYING ATTENTION WOULD HAVE CONCLUDED NOTHING COULD STOP HIM FROM FLYING TO THE MOON.

EVEN MORE SERIOUS THAN ARMSTRONG IS BUZZ ALDRIN.

HE IS, BY GENERAL AGREEMENT, THE MOST BRILLIANT OF THE ASTRONAUTS, THOUGH SOME OF HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO COMMENT THEY WISHED HE DIDN'T FEEL IT NECESSARY TO DEMONSTRATE HIS SCHOLARSHIP SO OFTEN.

TYPICALLY, ALDRIN TRAINED FOR WEEKS UNDERWATER FOR HIS GEMINI 12 SPACEWALK, DETERMINED THAT IT WOULD BE THE BEST EVER ATTEMPTED.

IT WAS.

BUT ALDRIN CAN BE AS COOL IN APPRAISING HIMSELF AS HE IS IN HIS RELATIONS WITH OTHERS.

MIKE COLLINS HAS DONE EVERYTHING NEIL ARMSTRONG AND BUZZ ALDRIN HAVE DONE, BUT SOMEHOW, IT'S NOT THE SAME.

THE SON OF A GENERAL, THE NEPHEW OF ANOTHER, HE GRADUATED FROM WEST POINT BUT DID NOT LIKE THE MILITARY DISCIPLINE.

HE BAILED OUT OF A JET THAT WAS ON FIRE BUT CAN'T REMEMBER ANYTHING SPECTACULAR.

COLLINS SAYS HE LOVES FLYING, BUT YOU GET THE FEELING HE COULD QUIT TOMORROW.

IN HIS ONLY OTHER FLIGHT, GEMINI 10, A COMBINATION OF CIRCUMSTANCES FORCED HIM TO CUT SHORT HIS SPACEWALK.

WHILE THE OTHERS TALK FLYING, HE PREFERS TO DISCUSS BOOKS, WINE, OR ROSES.

A MAN WHO HAS KNOWN ALL 3 ASTRONAUTS SAYS IF HE WERE FORCED DOWN ON A REMOTE ISLAND, HE WOULD WANT IT TO BE WITH MIKE COLLINS FOR THE QUALITY OF HIS PERSONALITY.

ANOTHER SAID HE WOULD PREFER BUZZ ALDRIN BECAUSE WITH HIS INTELLIGENCE, HE WOULD SOON BE CONVERTING SEA WATER TO FRESHWATER, OTHERWISE LOGICALLY ATTACKING THE PROBLEM.

BUT BOTH AGREE THAT THEY WOULD HOPE IT WOULD BE WITH NEIL ARMSTRONG, BECAUSE SOMEHOW, HE WOULD GET THEM HOME.

MAN: THIS IS APOLLO CONTROL.

DR. HAWKINS REPORTS ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE CREW IS SLEEPING SOUNDLY.

THE FLIGHT DIRECTOR HAS MADE A DECISION TO NOT PUT IN A CALL TO THE CREW AND WAKE THEM.

[BEEP] MAN: ROGER, 11.

READING YOU LOUD AND CLEAR NOW.

OVER.

[BEEP] [BEEP] MAN: ROGER.

[BEEP] [BEEP] MAN: I GUESS IT'S TURNED INTO NIGHT UP THERE, REALLY, HASN'T IT?

[BEEP] [BEEP] MAN: WELL, THERE ARE A LOT OF US DOWN HERE THAT WOULD BE WILLING TO COME ALONG.

[BEEP] MAN: THIS IS APOLLO CONTROL AT 75 HOURS, 26 MINUTES.

APOLLO 11 IS 966 MILES FROM THE MOON.

VELOCITY 6,511 FEET PER SECOND.

WE'RE 23 MINUTES AWAY FROM THE LOI BURN.

ALDRIN: OK, CAP COMM, WE'RE GO FOR LOI.

MAN: I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU TO ENABLE THE BD ROLL ON THE AUTO RCS SWITCHES.

OVER.

[BEEP] MAN: THAT'S AFFIRMATIVE, 11.

[INDISTINCT CHATTER] MAN: IT'S VERY QUIET HERE IN THE CONTROL ROOM.

[BEEP] MAN: APOLLO 11, APOLLO 11.

THIS IS HOUSTON.

HOW DO YOU READ?

[BEEP] [BEEP] MAN: ROGER.

READING YOU THE SAME, NOW.

COULD YOU REPEAT YOUR BURN STATUS REPORT?

MAN: THE SPACECRAFT IS LOOKING GOOD TO US ON TELEMETRY.

[BEEP] MAN: IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE DIVINE SPARK IN MAN WILL CONSUME HIM IN FLAMES; THAT THE BIG BRAIN WILL PROVE OUR ULTIMATE FLAW, LIKE THE DINOSAUR'S BIG BODY; THAT THE METAL PLAQUE ARMSTRONG AND ALDRIN EXPECT TO PLACE ON THE MOON WILL BECOME MAN'S EPITAPH.

BUT THE FUTURE HAS NEVER REVEALED ITSELF.

IT IS MADE, STEP BY STEP, MOMENT BY MOMENT.

THE NEXT GREAT MOMENT IS NOW AT HAND.

THE WORLD WAITS AND THE ASTRONAUTS SLEEP.

[BEEP] MAN: APOLLO 11, APOLLO 11.

GOOD MORNING FROM THE BLACK TEAM.

[BEEP] APOLLO 11, APOLLO 11.

GOOD MORNING FROM THE BLACK TEAM.

[BEEP] APOLLO 11, APOLLO 11.

GOOD MORNING FROM THE BLACK TEAM.

[BEEP] CRONKITE: AFTER HAVING BREAKFAST, THE CREW WILL HAVE A RATHER BUSY DAY TODAY, INCLUDING THE FIRST MANNED LANDING ON THE MOON.

[BEEP] MAN: IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA BE IMPOSSIBLE TO GET AWAY FROM THE FACT THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOMINATING ALL THE NEWS BACK HERE ON EARTH.

[BEEP] AMONG THE LARGE HEADLINES CONCERNING APOLLO THIS MORNING IS ONE ASKING THAT YOU WATCH FOR A LOVELY GIRL WITH A BIG RABBIT.

AN ANCIENT LEGEND SAYS A BEAUTIFUL CHINESE GIRL CALLED CHANG-O HAS BEEN LIVING THERE FOR 4,000 YEARS.

IT SEEMS SHE WAS BANISHED TO THE MOON BECAUSE SHE STOLE THE PILL OF IMMORTALITY FROM HER HUSBAND.

[BEEP BEEP] YOU MIGHT ALSO LOOK FOR HER COMPANION, A LARGE CHINESE RABBIT, WHO IS EASY TO SPOT BECAUSE HE IS ALWAYS STANDING ON HIS HIND FEET IN THE SHADE OF A CINNAMON TREE.

[BEEP] [BEEP] MAN: ROGER.

WE COPY.

[BEEP] DIFFERENT MAN: YOU HEARD THAT REPORT FROM NEIL ARMSTRONG.

THEY'RE NOW IN THE LUNAR MODULE.

[CLANK] MAN: FLIGHT DIRECTOR GENE KRANZ IS GOING AROUND THE CONTROL CENTER NOW TALKING TO HIS FLIGHT CONTROLLERS, REVIEWING STATUS AND--IN PREPARATION FOR MAKING THE GO/NO-GO DECISION FOR UNDOCKING.

[BEEP] MAN: APOLLO 11, HOUSTON, WE ARE GO FOR UNDOCKING.

OVER.

[BEEP] [BEEP] MAN: HOUSTON.

YOU'RE LOOKING GOOD FOR SEPARATION.

YOU ARE GO FOR SEPARATION, COLUMBIA.

OVER.

[BEEP] [BEEP] [BEEP] [BEEP BEEP] [BEEP] MAN: ROGER.

PITCH 212, YAW PLUS 37.

[BEEP] CRONKITE: IN ABOUT 25 SECONDS FROM NOW, THE IMPORTANT BURN OF THE DESCENT PROPULSION SYSTEM ENGINE OF THE LUNAR MODULE WILL BEGIN SLOWING IT DOWN FOR THE LANDING ON THE MOON.

10% TCP.

MAN: ROGER.

10%.

MAN: WE ADVISE YOU TO BE ON THE [INDISTINCT].

DIFFERENT MAN: THIS IS APOLLO CONTROL.

WE'VE HAD LOSS OF SIGNAL NOW.

[BEEP] [BEEP] [BEEPING] [BEEPING] [BEEPING] [BEEPING] [BEEP] [BEEP] [BEEP] [BEEP] [BEEP] [BEEP] MAN: THAT'S AFFIRMATIVE.

[ALARM BLARING] [BLARING] ALDRIN: 1202.

[ALARM BLARING] [BEEPING] [BEEPING] [BLARING] [BLARING] [DIFFERENT ALARM BLARES, ALL ALARMS STOP] [BEEP] CRONKITE: THIS LANDING IS NOT JUST AS SIMPLE AS IT SOUNDS.

THEY'VE GOT TO COME IN OVER SOME RATHER HIGH FEATURES BEFORE THEY MAKE THAT SET-DOWN ON A FAIRLY FLAT POINT ON THE MOON.

MAN: THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THE MISSION IS THE LANDING.

YOU HAVE THE MANEUVERABILITY OF A HELICOPTER, SO, YOU CAN DESCEND VERTICALLY, LOOK AT THE AREA, AND FINALLY PICK OUT THAT ONE SPOT THAT IS ACCEPTABLE.

THE HARD PART, OF COURSE, IS TO GET THAT CLOSE, THEN HAVE TO COMMIT TO LEAVING AFTER ALL OF THIS WORK.

I THINK THAT PRESSURE IS PROBABLY THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ANY CREW WILL EVER HAVE.

MAN: WE'RE NOW IN THE APPROACH PHASE.

EVERYTHING LOOKING GOOD.

MAN: ROGER, COPY.

CRONKITE: DOWN TO JUST 14 MILES TO GO AND 4 1/2 MINUTES LEFT IN THIS ERA.

[ALARM BLARING] MAN: 1201 ALARM.

MAN: SAME TYPE.

WE'RE GO, FLIGHT.

MAN: OK. WE'RE GO.

MAN: ROGER.

WE COPY IT.

ARMSTRONG: 35 DEGREES.

35 DEGREES.

750, COMING DOWN TO 23.

600, DOWN AT 19.

[BEEPING CONTINUES] [BEEPING] MAN: ROGER, TRAN--TRANQUILITY.

WE COPY YOU ON THE GROUND.

YOU GOT A BUNCH OF GUYS ABOUT TO TURN BLUE.

WE'RE BREATHING AGAIN.

THANKS A LOT.

CRONKITE: OH, BOY!

MAN ON THE MOON.

HMM.

WHEW!

BOY!

CRONKITE: WALLY, SAY SOMETHING.

I'M SPEECHLESS.

SCHIRRA: I'M JUST TRYING TO HOLD ONTO MY BREATH.

THAT IS REALLY SOMETHING.

MAN: ROGER, TRANQUILITY.

BE ADVISED, THERE ARE LOTS OF SMILING FACES IN THIS ROOM AND ALL OVER THE WORLD.

OVER.

MAN: ROGER.

IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL JOB, YOU GUYS.

MAN: ROGER.

WE READ YOU, COLUMBIA.

HE HAS LANDED.

TRANQUILITY BASE.

EAGLE IS AT TRANQUILITY.

OVER.

MAN: GOOD SHOW.

CRONKITE: WELL, THIS DAY HAS GIVEN US, ERIC SEVAREID, I GUESS OUR BIGGEST STORY.

NOTHING COMPARES WITH THIS, I DON'T THINK.

I THINK, WALTER, SOMETIMES THAT IT'S EASIER TO BE AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN WORLD-SHAKING THINGS LIKE THIS THAN AN OBSERVER WHO CAN ONLY SIT.

AT LEAST IT'S EASIER ON THE NERVE ENDS.

THE...

THE THING THAT GOT US ALL DOWNSTAIRS IN ANOTHER OFFICE WATCHING THIS IN THOSE LAST FEW MINUTES AND SECONDS WAS THE STEADINESS OF THOSE VOICES OF THOSE TWO MEN.

AND AS AN OLD-FASHIONED HUMANIST, IT SEEMED TO ME A LITTLE REASSURING THAT IN THOSE LAST SECONDS, THE HUMAN HAND AND EYE HAD TO TAKE OVER FROM THE COMPUTERS, IF I UNDERSTOOD EXACTLY WHAT WAS GOING ON IN THAT-- IN THAT LUNAR MODULE.

SITTING HERE, I REALLY WAS CAUGHT SPEECHLESS.

I DON'T THINK THAT'S HAPPENED IN MY LIFE.

AS A MATTER OF FACT, ARMSTRONG'S WORDS WERE AS ELOQUENT AS YOU COULD ASK.

"EAGLE HAS LANDED."

"EAGLE HAS LANDED."

WHAT MORE COULD YOU SAY?

NO MORE.

MAN: WHAT DO YOU THINK OF MAN'S LANDING ON THE MOON?

MAN: IT WAS JUST PROFOUND.

MAN HAS STEPPED OFF THIS PLANET, AND I'M PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN AND AN EARTHLING!

MAN: WHAT WAS THE REACTION WHERE YOU WERE?

MAN: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU?

MAN: THIS IS ONE MOMENT I WANT TO SHARE WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE.

MAN: YUGOSLAVIA, IN FACT, HAS ADOPTED THE 3 AMERICAN ASTRONAUTS AS ITS OWN HEROES.

WHAT'S YOUR REACTION?

MAN: WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

HOW ABOUT YOU, SIR?

MAN: I AM VERY PROUD TO BE MEMBER OF GENERATION OF THIS HISTORICAL MOMENT.

MAN: I THINK THIS IS A GREAT DAY FOR AMERICA.

WOMAN: I THINK MAYBE MARS MIGHT BE NEXT.

WHO KNOWS?

CRONKITE: BUZZ ALDRIN AND HIS CO-PILOT NEIL ARMSTRONG, THEY'VE BEEN ON THE MOON FOR OVER 2 HOURS NOW, AND BUZZ ALDRIN DID TAKE SOMETHING WITH HIM TODAY.

MOST UNUSUAL.

HE TOOK A PART OF THE COMMUNAL BREAD LOAF FROM HIS CHURCH ALONG WITH HIM SO THAT AT HIS EVENING MEAL TONIGHT, SUNDAY, HE WILL, IN A SENSE, SHARE COMMUNION WITH THE PEOPLE OF HIS CHURCH.

MAN: TRANQUILITY, HOUSTON.

GO AHEAD.

MAN: ROGER, TRANQUILITY BASE.

CRONKITE: AND THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS TO ACCEDE TO THE REQUEST FROM THE HERO CONQUERORS OF SPACE, ARMSTRONG AND ALDRIN, TO PAUSE FOR A MOMENT AND CONTEMPLATE THE LAST FEW HOURS AND GIVE THANKS IN OUR OWN WAY.

CBS NEWS COLOR COVERAGE OF THE EPIC JOURNEY OF APOLLO 11 WILL CONTINUE IN A MOMENT.

CRONKITE: WE'LL GET WORD FROM THE SPACECRAFT THAT THEY INTEND TO DEPRESSURIZE THE CABIN AND OPEN THE HATCH IN ABOUT 15 MINUTES FROM NOW.

CRONKITE: WE'RE APPROACHING ONE OF THE CRITICAL MOMENTS, AND NEIL ARMSTRONG'S FATHER DID SAY THAT HE HOPED THAT HIS SON WOULD HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ON THE SURFACE OF THE MOON.

HE SAID, "I HOPE HE'LL SAY SOMETHING THAT UNITES THE WORLD."

NEIL ARMSTRONG'S MOTHER SAID THAT, "HOWEVER, MAYBE HE'LL BE SO THRILLED, HE WON'T HAVE ANY WORDS AT ALL."

MAN: ALL RIGHT, MOVE HERE.

[STATIC; AUDIO CUTS OUT] MAN: BUZZ, THIS IS HOUSTON.

RADIO CHECK AND VERIFY TV CIRCUIT BREAKER IN.

MAN: AND WE'RE GETTING A PICTURE ON THE TV!

SCHIRRA: THERE'S THAT FOOT GOING DOWN.

CRONKITE: THERE HE IS.

THERE'S A FOOT COMING DOWN THE STEPS.

MAN: OK, NEIL, WE CAN SEE YOU COMING DOWN THE LADDER NOW.

ARMSTRONG: THAT'S ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN... ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND.

CRONKITE: ARMSTRONG IS ON THE MOON.

38-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN STANDING ON THE SURFACE OF THE MOON.

WOW!

MAN: NEIL, THIS IS HOUSTON.

WE'RE COPYING.

CRONKITE: BOY, LOOK AT THOSE PICTURES.

SCHIRRA: OH, THANK YOU, TELEVISION FOR LETTING US WATCH THIS ONE.

ISN'T THIS SOMETHING?

MAN: ROGER, NEIL.

WE'RE READING YOU LOUD AND CLEAR.

[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS] [CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING] ALDRIN: I'M GOING TO LEAVE THAT ONE FOOT UP THERE AND... ARMSTRONG: ...HAS ABOUT ONE FOOT CLEARANCE ON THE GROUND.

WE'RE ESSENTIALLY ON A VERY LEVEL PLACE HERE.

I CAN SEE SOME EVIDENCE OF RAYS EMANATING FROM THE... READY FOR THE CAMERA?

ALDRIN: WHY DON'T YOU TURN AROUND AND LET THEM GET A VIEW FROM THERE-- ARMSTRONG: OK. ALDRIN: SEE WHAT THE FIELD OF VIEW LOOKS LIKE?

MAN: NEIL, THIS IS HOUSTON.

WE'D LIKE YOU TO AIM IT A LITTLE BIT MORE TO THE RIGHT.

OVER.

ARMSTRONG: OK. MAN: OK, THAT LOOKS GOOD, NEIL.

[CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKING] CRONKITE: NOW, THEY'RE COLLECTING NOW THE SAMPLES.

THEY'VE GOT ABOUT ANOTHER HOUR AND 5 MINUTES OF EXTRAVEHICULAR ACTIVITY BEFORE THE HATCH IS CLOSED.

I THINK ALL OF US ON EARTH WOULD PROBABLY FEEL THE SAME WAY, THAT THERE WILL NEVER BE A DAY LIKE THIS AGAIN IN ANY OF OUR HISTORIES.

[STATIC] MAN: COLUMBIA, THIS IS HOUSTON.

OVER.

MAN: NEIL AND BUZZ, THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS TO YOU.

OVER.

MAN: ALL RIGHT, GO AHEAD, MR. PRESIDENT.

NIXON: HELLO, NEIL AND BUZZ.

I'M TALKING TO YOU BY TELEPHONE FROM THE OVAL ROOM AT THE WHITE HOUSE.

AND THIS CERTAINLY HAS TO BE THE MOST HISTORIC TELEPHONE CALL EVER MADE.

AND AS YOU TALK TO US FROM THE SEA OF TRANQUILITY, IT INSPIRES US TO REDOUBLE OUR EFFORTS TO BRING PEACE AND TRANQUILITY TO EARTH.

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE] NIXON: AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON THE "HORNET" ON THURSDAY.

ARMSTRONG: ROGER.

MAN: IN THE FOREGROUND, BUZZ ALDRIN IS COLLECTING A CORE TUBE SAMPLE.

[BOTH BREATHING HARD] MAN: TRANQUILITY BASE, THIS IS HOUSTON.

OVER.

YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE TO CHECK THE BREAKERS.

MAN: JUST ONE QUICKIE.

MIKE... AND THIS IS A SERIOUS... [INDISTINCT] HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF YOU HAD TO COME HOME ALONE?

TERRIBLE.

REALLY.

THEY'RE KEEPING TUNE NOW TO MISSION CONTROL IN HOUSTON, AS THEY GO THROUGH CHECKING OUT THE SPACECRAFT SYSTEMS BEFORE MEN LEAVE THE MOON FOR THE FIRST TIME.

[CLICK] MAN: ROGER THAT.

OK. ON SURFACE 57 THERE ON YOUR VERB 21 NOUN 73... TRUNNION, LEAVE IT AT 180; THE SHAFT WE'D LIKE 335... [CLICK] MAN: ROGER.

MAN: 700, 150 UP, BEAUTIFUL.

MAN: THE UPPER STAGE OF THE EAGLE LIFTS OFF, LEAVING BEHIND THE NOW-USELESS LANDING STAGE AND SWINGS INTO ORBIT TO DOCK WITH COLUMBIA ONCE AGAIN.

MAN: 1,000 FEET HIGH, 80 FEET PER SECOND, VERTICAL RISE.

MAN: OH, BOY.

HOT DIGGITY DOG.

MAN: WE'RE OFF AND RUNNING NOW.

MAN: YES, SIR.

CRONKITE: ARMSTRONG IN ORBIT.

MAN: ...YOU LOOK AHEAD.

CRONKITE: THEY'RE JUST SHORT OF 24 HOURS ON THE MOON'S SURFACE, ON THE WAY BACK NOW TO RENDEZVOUS WITH MIKE COLLINS ORBITING THE ... [CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS] MAN: THIS IS APOLLO CONTROL.

COMMUNICATIONS ARE SOMEWHAT SCRATCHY WITH APOLLO 11.

[LOUD CLANG] COLUMBIA AND EAGLE NOW REUNITED TO BECOME APOLLO 11 AGAIN.

MAN: OK, YEAH.

MAN: WHEN THE CREW AND MOON SAMPLES ARE TRANSFERRED TO THE COMMAND SERVICE MODULE, THE LUNAR MODULE IS DISCARDED.

[LOUD BANG] MAN: 30 SECONDS NOW UNTIL LOSS OF SIGNAL.

WE'VE HAD A LAST STATUS CHECK FROM THE FLIGHT DIRECTOR, AND ALL AROUND THE ROOM, THE WORD IS "GO."

MAN: APOLLO 11, HOUSTON.

YOU'RE A GO FOR TEI.

OVER.

[STATIC] CRONKITE: AND AT THIS POINT, WE ARE WAITING, AS IS MISSION CONTROL AND IS THE WHOLE WORLD, FOR THIS WORD THAT BEHIND THE MOON, OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE EARTH, THE ASTRONAUTS OF APOLLO 11 HAVE SUCCESSFULLY FIRED THE ENGINE FOR THE TRANSEARTH INJECTION.

MAN: THEY'RE ON THE EDGE OF THE SEATS JUST AS YOU AND I ARE.

MAN: ROGER.

WE GOT YOU COMING HOME.

IT'S WELL STOCKED.

CRONKITE: THEY'RE ON THE WAY HOME.

HALLELUJAH!

SEVAREID: WE'RE ALWAYS GONNA FEEL SOMEHOW STRANGERS TO THESE MEN.

THEY'VE PEERED INTO ANOTHER LIFE WE CAN'T FOLLOW.

HE SAID IT WAS PRETTY, THE SCENE HE SAW ON THE MOON.

SOMEHOW, THEY FOUND A STRANGE BEAUTY THERE THAT I SUPPOSE THEY CAN NEVER REALLY DESCRIBE TO US.

MAN: OH, 11 LINED UP RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE ENTRY CORRIDOR.

MAN: AS IT APPROACHES THE RE-ENTRY SPEED OF NEARLY 25,000 MILES PER HOUR, THE SERVICE MODULE DROPS AWAY.

MAN: THE COMMAND MODULE COLUMBIA IS ALL THAT REMAINS OF THE ORIGINAL 3,000 TONS OF ROCKET, FUEL, AND CARGO.

THE COMMAND MODULE NOW PLUNGES INTO THE ATMOSPHERE PROTECTED BY ITS HEAT SHIELD.

MAN: 11, HOUSTON.

YOU'RE STILL LOOKING MIGHTY FINE HERE.

YOU'RE CLEARED FOR LANDING.

MAN: ROGER.

COPY.

MAN: VELOCITY 34,630 FEET PER SECOND.

RANGE TO GO TO SPLASH 1,533 NAUTICAL MILES.

[LOUD RUMBLING] [BEEPING] [BEEP] MAN: APOLLO 11, HOUSTON.

TO ARRIVE ... "HORNET" REPORTS A SONIC BOOM A SHORT TIME AGO.

MAN: APOLLO 11, HOUSTON.

IN THE BLIND.

AIR BOSS HAS THE VISUAL CONTACT.

APOLLO 11, HOUSTON.

THROUGH ARIA.

STANDING BY.

OVER.

CRONKITE: MAXIMUM G-FORCE SHOULD BE JUST ABOUT NOW.

THEY'RE SEEING THIS GLOWING RE-ENTRY LIKE A COMET COMING BACK TO THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE.

WE'RE GETTING NOTHING FROM MISSION CONTROL OR FROM THE SPACESHIP.

COME ON, HOUSTON.

GIVE US A WORD.

CRONKITE: HOT DOG.

APOLLO 11 HAS MADE IT.

AIR BOSS ONE: ALL RIGHT.

MAN: THEY'RE BACK FROM THE MOON.

ASTRONAUTS ARMSTRONG, ALDRIN, AND COLLINS, LANDING IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN SOUTHWEST OF HAWAII.

[APPLAUSE] [CROWD CHEERING LOUDLY] ALDRIN: UH, HOUSTON, TRANQUILITY.

OVER.

NEIL IS NOW UNVEILING THE PLAQUE.

ARMSTRONG: "HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH FIRST SET FOOT UPON THE MOON.

"WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND.

JULY OF 1969 A.D." ♪ ANNOUNCER: TO ORDER "8 DAYS: TO THE MOON AND BACK" ON DVD, VISIT SHOPPBS OR CALL 1-800 PLAY PBS.

THIS PROGRAM IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO.

♪