Summary
On July 20, 1969, NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission, while Michael Collins orbited above. Armstrong's famous words, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," were broadcast to millions watching on television worldwide. The successful landing fulfilled President John F. Kennedy's 1961 pledge to land Americans on the moon before the decade's end. The mission marked a decisive American victory in the Space Race against the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
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