Space Exploration Day is celebrated annually on July 20 to commemorate the anniversary of the first manned mission to the Moon. On this day in 1969, America’s Apollo 11 mission safely landed astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin on the lunar surface. With this feat, Armstrong and Aldrin became the first humans to step foot on the surface of the Moon. US President Ronald Reagan created this holiday to commemorate the first crewed mission to the moon. The Apollo 11 mission succeeded eight years after President John F. Kennedy set a goal for America to land on the lunar surface. James Webb Space Telescope Detects Most Distant Active Supermassive Black Hole Till Date.

Space Exploration Day History

NASA’s Apollo 11 mission was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA, on July 16, 1969, with three astronauts aboard the rocket ship — Neil Armstrong, Edwin ‘Buzz’ Aldrin, and Michael Collins. The lunar module nicknamed the ‘Eagle,’ carrying only Aldrin and Armstrong, separated from the command module where Collins was. It was at 10:56 pm on July 20 that Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the moon as he descended from the ladder. He said the famous lines, ‘That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind’. Soon after, Aldrin also landed on the moon’s surface.

In 1984, the day was proclaimed a holiday by United States President Ronald Reagan. The fifth manned mission of NASA's Apollo program, Apollo 11, was launched from Florida on July 16. It returned to Earth with the 3 astronauts - Armstrong, Aldrin, and Michael Collins on July 24. NASA's Webb Space Telescope Reveals Moment of Stellar Birth, Dramatic Close-Up of 50 Baby Stars.

Space Exploration Day Significance

Space Exploration Day is an important day that marks significant milestones and achievements in space exploration. The day is a reminder of the incredible progress made in space science and celebrates the courage and determination of astronauts, scientists, researchers, and engineers. It highlights the scientific discoveries, technological innovations that have been achieved over the years and encourage people to learn more about the cosmos.

On Space Exploration Day, various activities and events are organized to promote space exploration and educate the youth to pursue careers in space sciences.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 20, 2023 08:12 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).