Counting Down to Apollo

One American's account of watching humanity reach the Moon

Tag: eva

One Small Step
Apollo 11 July 21, 1969

One Small Step

Neil Armstrong descended the ladder of the Eagle at 10:56 PM Eastern and stepped onto the Moon. His first words: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." Buzz Aldrin followed twenty minutes later. I watched on television, the picture grainy and miraculous, and I kept thinking:…
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Gemini Program November 11, 1966

Gemini’s Last Mission

Gemini 12 splashed down today, and with it the Gemini program is complete. Buzz Aldrin spent five and a half hours outside the capsule.
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Ed White Walks in Space
Gemini June 3, 1965

Ed White Walks in Space

An American walked in space today. Ed White opened the hatch on Gemini 4 and floated outside for twenty-three minutes, tethered to the spacecraft, floating over Earth. The mission commander had to order him back inside. White said it was the saddest moment of his life.
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