Moonshot: The Inside Story of Mankind's Greatest Adventure Read Online Free PDF Page A

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At her home in Houston, Joan Aldrin and her children Michael, 13, Janice, who was nearly 12, and Andrew, 11, had watched the launch of Apollo 11 on television. Sitting alongside Jeannie Bassett, Joan had fallen silent during the final seconds of the countdown; while watching the rocket race away from the Earth she didn't say a word for the first seven minutes of the flight. 24 The live TV coverage had struggled to keep up with the booster's furious pace and soon all that could be seen was a billowing column of smoke, as if the rocket had finally been consumed by the fire trailing behind it. The men were not due to return for another eight days.

One of three X-15 rocketpowered aircraft, carried aloft under the wing of a B-52.

John Houbolt explaining lunar orbital rendezvous. His ideas were initially rejected by NASA but proved vital to the lunar landing.

A lunar landing research vehicle at Edwards Air Force Base.

The crew of Apollo 1 (left to right) Gus Grissom, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee, in front of Launch Complex 34, housing their Saturn IB launch vehicle. When a fire broke out during tests the complicated hatch left them unable to escape.

The crew of Apollo 11. From left: Commander, Neil Armstrong; Command Module Pilot, Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot, Buzz Aldrin.

The crews of Apollo 10 and Apollo 11 in a debriefing session.

Armstrong in the lunar module simulator at the Kennedy Space Center.

Collins (left) and Deke Slayton, walk away from a T-38 jet, July 1969. As the Director of Flight Crew Operations Slayton was responsible for selecting the crew of each mission.

A million sight-seers descended on Florida, camping out on beaches and roads to get a glimpse of the lift-off.

Slayton (right front) reviews charts with Collins (left), Armstrong, and Aldrin (next to Slayton) during breakfast before the launch.

Armstrong checks his communications system before boarding Apollo 11.

Collins prior to launch.

Aldrin prepares himself for the mission.

Armstrong waves to well-wishers in the Manned Spacecraft Operations Building, Kennedy Space Center.

High above the Florida landscape, the crew enter the spacecraft through the tiny white room resting against the command module.

The swing arms move away and a plume of flame signals the liftoff of Apollo 11.

Apollo 11 climbs towards orbit. This photo was taken with a telescopic camera mounted in an air force EC-135N aircraft.

Officials relax in the Launch Control Center following lift-off. Second from left is Dr. Wernher von Braun, looking at George Mueller who stands beside Lt. Gen. Samuel Phillips, Director of the Apollo Programme.

In Mission Control, Flight Director Cliff Charlesworth (centre) sits to the right of Gene Kranz.

Soon after arriving in orbit, the crew's faces filled with blood until their bodies adjusted to weightlessness.

Buzz Aldrin in the lunar module, photographed by Neil Armstrong during the long journey to the moon.

The lunar module, Eagle, after undocking from the command module. The long rods under the landing pads are lunar surface sensing probes.

The television image that millions around the world were waiting for on July 20th 1969. Armstrong steps off the ladder on to the lunar surface.

Aldrin prepares to step on to the lunar surface.

Buzz Aldrin, in Armstrong's iconic picture of man on the Moon.

Aldrin beside the US flag. The footprints of the astronauts are clearly visible in the soil of the Moon.

One small step ... Buzz Aldrin's bootprint.

Buzz Aldrin and, to his right, the Solar Wind Composition experiment.

A relieved Armstrong back in the LM after the moonwalk.

Buzz's position on the right-hand side of the lunar module cabin. In the window is a 16mm film camera.

Lt. Clancy Hatleberg closes the spacecraft hatch while the crew await rescue. Leaving Columbia Aldrin said he was struck by a 'peculiar sense of loss'.

Officials join the flight controllers in celebrating the return of Apollo 11. Third from left