Sputnik: History changed on October 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union successfully launched me, Sputnik I. As a technical achievement, I caught the world's attention and the American public off-guard. My size was impressive at 189 pounds and 23 inches in diameter. The public feared that the Soviets' ability to launch satellites also translated into the capability to launch ballistic missiles that could carry nuclear weapons from Europe to the U.S. While my launch was a single event, it marked the start of the space age and then United States- U.S.S.R space race
.Narrator: Following the Soviet Union launch of Sputnik the United States and the Soviet Union both begin to expand their space programs and race to the moon in what will become known as the Space Race. During July of 1958 President Eisenhower will sign the National Aeronautics and Space Act, thus establishing NASA.
For the next 3 years both the US and the USSR will launch numerous satellites into space. During a speech in September of 1961 President Kennedy will say “We choose to go to the moon because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.”
In the coming years following his speech, more satellites will be sent into space, men will orbit the earth, the first woman will be sent into space, crew members will take space walks, satellites will orbit the moon, astronauts will die, and Neil Armstrong along with Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin will land on the moon. Join us now as Buzz, Neil, and the rest of the crew prepare for lift off at the Kennedy Space Center on July 16th, 1969.
Neil: Alright, here goes nothing let’s hope this thing works out.
Buzz: Yeah I know, I’m getting a little nervous about this but were heading into orbit now!
Collins: Time for the Translunar Injection!
Neil and Buzz: Mike, no need to use the fancy terms all the time you can just say time to head for the moon.
Collins: Yeah okay, I’m just really excited about this!
NASA: SOUND CLIP
Liftoff
Narrator: 3 days later the crew is in lunar orbit. Once in lunar orbit Buzz and Neil climb into the lunar module, Eagle, and Collins continues to orbit in the command module Columbia.
Buzz: Good thing we’ve landed, we only had about 30 seconds of fuel left that was a close call!
Narrator: At 4:18pm on July 20th 1969 Eagle lands on the moon.
Neil (to NASA): Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.
NASA: We were getting nervous down here, now we’re breathing again!
Buzz (to Neil): That landing was really worrying me there were about a thousand things to worry about and that terrain was unknown and rampant.
Neil: Yeah, the computer was starting to sound alarms so I just did some improvising and manually piloted past all those boulders to set us down.
Buzz: Good call Neil! It’s our time to shine!! Let’s get geared up to take this giant leap.
Neil: Okay, let’s do this thing!
Narrator: At 10:56pm Armstrong is finally ready to take a step outside. More than half a billion people are watching on their televisions from home and the moment the world has been waiting for has finally arrived.
SOUND CLIP (Pirates)
Neil: (while climbing down the ladder) That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.
Narrator: Buzz is ready to join Neil shortly after he takes the first step.
SOUND CLIP (Pirates)
Buzz: This place, what a magnificent desolation. Let’s explore!!!!!!!
Neil: I couldn’t agree with you more. Let’s do what we came to do.
SOUND CLIP (Coldplay)
Narrator: For the next two and a half hours, Buzz and Neil collect samples and take pictures of the moon. While they are surveying the surface of the moon Collins continues to orbit around the moon in the command module.
TAKE TIME TO EXPLORE, COLLECT ROCKS, AND TAKE PICTURES
Neil: It looks like Collins is ready to land back down for us. I think it’s time now to leave our mark.
Buzz: Agreed!! Let’s get the American flag and head back to the Sea of Tranquility to leave them there.
Neil: Alright let’s do that. And make sure we have patch honoring the fallen crew of Apollo 1 on the flag.
Buzz: Yep I checked before we left, it’s on there!
Narrator (while Buzz and Neil leave items): Buzz and Neil leave these items on the surface of the moon in addition to a plaque. The plaque reads “Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon. July 1969 AD. We came in peace for all mankind.” Buzz and Neil meet back up with Collins and dock in Columbia.
Collins: Wow guys, for the first time I can’t believe we really carried this thing off.
Neil: Yeah, I know the feeling.
Buzz: Me too!
Neil: Well, I guess now’s a better time than ever to make our way back down to Earth.
Buzz: I’ll get ready for take-off.
Collins: I’m all set up here in the cock pit.
Narrator: On July 24th the crew lands down in Hawaii. The challenge presented by President Kennedy has been met. 10 years after their lunar landing, the crew of Apollo 11 meets with interviewers.
Interviewer 1: Hello, and good afternoon! I’m Nicki Sput here to talk with Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong about their landing in the Sea of Tranquility on the 10th anniversary of their trip to the moon. Standing by we also have Rita Skeeter who we will conference in later as she interviews Michael Collins, another member of the Apollo 11 crew. (turns to Buzz) Buzz- does it feel like it’s been 10 years?
Buzz: No, it really feels like it was just yesterday. It’s hard to come down from such a great experience, you know? We didn’t think we’d be able to do it, even once we took off.
Interviewer 1: I agree- it’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years it’s amazing to see the progress that we’ve made in that time. Neil- what are some of your thoughts on this day?
Neil: Well, 10 years later and I am still in awe of what we did up there it was something we weren’t sure if it was going to happen or not. But I really want to take time to just really thank the hundreds of thousands behind me that made this happen. I mean everyone- every guy that’s setting up the tests, cranking the torque wrench, and so on. I’ll say what I said back on that day we landed- that flight, it was and is the beginning of a new age.
Interviewer 1: You’re right Neil- it was the start of a new age and there’s so much left to explore. Now we’ll take it over to Rita Skeeter with Michael Collins.
Interviewer 2: Thanks Nicki. Some great comments from Buzz and Neil and now I’m standing here with a 3rd crew member Michael Collins. Collins, what kind of emotions are you feeling on this day?
Collins: I’m feeling great. Landing on the moon is just something that will be difficult to top. I really think from here we can only go further. People say that Mars is going to be impossible, but that’s what they said about the moon. If you ask me- that’s just where we’re headed next.
Interviewer 2: That’s one big ambition, but we’re definitely developing the technology to get there. Thanks so much Michael! I’m Rita Skeeter reporting for NBC back to you Nicki in the studio.
Interviewer 1: Thanks Rita some inspirational words from Michael. Thanks Buzz and Neil, for being here with us today. We’ll be back with this weekend’s forecast after this commercial break.
.Narrator: Following the Soviet Union launch of Sputnik the United States and the Soviet Union both begin to expand their space programs and race to the moon in what will become known as the Space Race. During July of 1958 President Eisenhower will sign the National Aeronautics and Space Act, thus establishing NASA.
For the next 3 years both the US and the USSR will launch numerous satellites into space. During a speech in September of 1961 President Kennedy will say “We choose to go to the moon because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.”
In the coming years following his speech, more satellites will be sent into space, men will orbit the earth, the first woman will be sent into space, crew members will take space walks, satellites will orbit the moon, astronauts will die, and Neil Armstrong along with Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin will land on the moon. Join us now as Buzz, Neil, and the rest of the crew prepare for lift off at the Kennedy Space Center on July 16th, 1969.
Neil: Alright, here goes nothing let’s hope this thing works out.
Buzz: Yeah I know, I’m getting a little nervous about this but were heading into orbit now!
Collins: Time for the Translunar Injection!
Neil and Buzz: Mike, no need to use the fancy terms all the time you can just say time to head for the moon.
Collins: Yeah okay, I’m just really excited about this!
NASA: SOUND CLIP
Liftoff
Narrator: 3 days later the crew is in lunar orbit. Once in lunar orbit Buzz and Neil climb into the lunar module, Eagle, and Collins continues to orbit in the command module Columbia.
Buzz: Good thing we’ve landed, we only had about 30 seconds of fuel left that was a close call!
Narrator: At 4:18pm on July 20th 1969 Eagle lands on the moon.
Neil (to NASA): Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.
NASA: We were getting nervous down here, now we’re breathing again!
Buzz (to Neil): That landing was really worrying me there were about a thousand things to worry about and that terrain was unknown and rampant.
Neil: Yeah, the computer was starting to sound alarms so I just did some improvising and manually piloted past all those boulders to set us down.
Buzz: Good call Neil! It’s our time to shine!! Let’s get geared up to take this giant leap.
Neil: Okay, let’s do this thing!
Narrator: At 10:56pm Armstrong is finally ready to take a step outside. More than half a billion people are watching on their televisions from home and the moment the world has been waiting for has finally arrived.
SOUND CLIP (Pirates)
Neil: (while climbing down the ladder) That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.
Narrator: Buzz is ready to join Neil shortly after he takes the first step.
SOUND CLIP (Pirates)
Buzz: This place, what a magnificent desolation. Let’s explore!!!!!!!
Neil: I couldn’t agree with you more. Let’s do what we came to do.
SOUND CLIP (Coldplay)
Narrator: For the next two and a half hours, Buzz and Neil collect samples and take pictures of the moon. While they are surveying the surface of the moon Collins continues to orbit around the moon in the command module.
TAKE TIME TO EXPLORE, COLLECT ROCKS, AND TAKE PICTURES
Neil: It looks like Collins is ready to land back down for us. I think it’s time now to leave our mark.
Buzz: Agreed!! Let’s get the American flag and head back to the Sea of Tranquility to leave them there.
Neil: Alright let’s do that. And make sure we have patch honoring the fallen crew of Apollo 1 on the flag.
Buzz: Yep I checked before we left, it’s on there!
Narrator (while Buzz and Neil leave items): Buzz and Neil leave these items on the surface of the moon in addition to a plaque. The plaque reads “Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon. July 1969 AD. We came in peace for all mankind.” Buzz and Neil meet back up with Collins and dock in Columbia.
Collins: Wow guys, for the first time I can’t believe we really carried this thing off.
Neil: Yeah, I know the feeling.
Buzz: Me too!
Neil: Well, I guess now’s a better time than ever to make our way back down to Earth.
Buzz: I’ll get ready for take-off.
Collins: I’m all set up here in the cock pit.
Narrator: On July 24th the crew lands down in Hawaii. The challenge presented by President Kennedy has been met. 10 years after their lunar landing, the crew of Apollo 11 meets with interviewers.
Interviewer 1: Hello, and good afternoon! I’m Nicki Sput here to talk with Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong about their landing in the Sea of Tranquility on the 10th anniversary of their trip to the moon. Standing by we also have Rita Skeeter who we will conference in later as she interviews Michael Collins, another member of the Apollo 11 crew. (turns to Buzz) Buzz- does it feel like it’s been 10 years?
Buzz: No, it really feels like it was just yesterday. It’s hard to come down from such a great experience, you know? We didn’t think we’d be able to do it, even once we took off.
Interviewer 1: I agree- it’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years it’s amazing to see the progress that we’ve made in that time. Neil- what are some of your thoughts on this day?
Neil: Well, 10 years later and I am still in awe of what we did up there it was something we weren’t sure if it was going to happen or not. But I really want to take time to just really thank the hundreds of thousands behind me that made this happen. I mean everyone- every guy that’s setting up the tests, cranking the torque wrench, and so on. I’ll say what I said back on that day we landed- that flight, it was and is the beginning of a new age.
Interviewer 1: You’re right Neil- it was the start of a new age and there’s so much left to explore. Now we’ll take it over to Rita Skeeter with Michael Collins.
Interviewer 2: Thanks Nicki. Some great comments from Buzz and Neil and now I’m standing here with a 3rd crew member Michael Collins. Collins, what kind of emotions are you feeling on this day?
Collins: I’m feeling great. Landing on the moon is just something that will be difficult to top. I really think from here we can only go further. People say that Mars is going to be impossible, but that’s what they said about the moon. If you ask me- that’s just where we’re headed next.
Interviewer 2: That’s one big ambition, but we’re definitely developing the technology to get there. Thanks so much Michael! I’m Rita Skeeter reporting for NBC back to you Nicki in the studio.
Interviewer 1: Thanks Rita some inspirational words from Michael. Thanks Buzz and Neil, for being here with us today. We’ll be back with this weekend’s forecast after this commercial break.