Apollo 11: Questions and Answers

I’ve noticed a trend over the past few days appearing in the Google referrers for this blog: many people are searching for answers to basic questions involving the Apollo 11 mission.

Therefore, this post is dedicated to answering those questions as best possible. If you have any further requests regarding the Apollo 11 lunar landing, leave a comment on this post or email: editor @ lunarlandinghoax.com and I’ll add it on to this post.

The purpose of this is to set out the answers in a simple and easy to read format. For a more detailed overview of the Apollo 11 mission, please refer to the mission overview.

When did Apollo 11 launch?

Apollo 11 launched on July 16th 1969 at 9.32am local time from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

Who were the crew members of Apollo 11?

The crew of Apollo 11:

Commander: Neil Armstrong

Command Module Pilot: Michael Collins

Lunar Module Pilot: Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin

Who were the back up crew members for Apollo 11?

The back up crew of Apollo 11:

Commander: James “Jim” Lovell

Command Module Pilot: William “Bill” Anders

Lunar Module Pilot: Fred Haise

It is worth noting that both Anders and a second astronaut, Ken Mattingly, trained as back up Command Module Pilot for Apollo 11. This is because Anders had accepted a job, beginning in August 1969, and was due to retire as an astronaut at that point. If for some reason the Apollo 11 mission had been delayed past its due launch date in July, Anders may not have been available, so Mattingly also trained.

Did Armstrong, Aldrin or Collins ever fly in space again?

No. All had flown the Gemini programme prior to Apollo – Apollo 11 was only the second all-veteran crew – and all would retire from active flight duty following the moon landing.

Why was Armstrong chosen as the first man on the moon?

The astronauts were chosen on a rotation basis, and it was Armstrong’s turn for a command when Apollo 11 was announced. From there, it was a matter of design: the lunar module is incredibly small, and for Aldrin to have stepped out onto the surface first he – and his bulky space suit and oxygen pack – would have needed to step around Armstrong to reach the hatch. It was more convenient for Armstrong to depart first. There is also an element of Armstrong having “the right stuff”; a gifted pilot with no longing for fame and adoration, he suited NASA’s ideal for their first man.

Did the lunar module pilot fly the lunar module?

This question seems to arise from people listening to / watching the videos and seeing / hearing Neil Armstrong mentioned as the man who flew the lunar module, Eagle, to the surface. The positional name of “Lunar Module Pilot” was something of a misnomer, as the LMP did not actually fly the lunar module. The name “lunar module specialist” would have been more appropriate, as the LMP was the expert for the lunar module just like the Command Module Pilot was for the Command Module. The Commander, in this case Armstrong, has overall control and then two specialists beneath him.

The lunar module pilot was, however, capable of flying the lunar module. The LMP job was more technical and focused on keeping the machine running smoothly while the commander took the task of flying.

Only once in Apollo history did a lunar module pilot fly the lunar module; Al Bean, on Apollo 12, was encouraged by his Commander and friend Pete Conrad to try it despite it not being in mission rules.

Who actually landed the Eagle on the moon?

Neil Armstrong took control from the computers following problems with the landing site; he landed the Eagle.

What were the callsigns / names of the Apollo 11 space craft?

When the Command Module, Service Module and Lunar Module were joined together the callsign or name used by Mission Control was Apollo 11.

Following CM / LM separation, the space craft were given different names. For Apollo 11, the callsigns / names were:

Command Service Module: Columbia

Lunar Module: Eagle

How long did Armstrong and Aldrin spend on the moon?

The Apollo 11 moon walk (or EVA) was the shortest of all the Apollo landings: it lasted just over two and a half hours.

Where on the moon did Apollo 11 land?

The Eagle landed on an area of the moon known as the Sea of Tranquility, or Mare Tranquillitatis.

The exact co-ordinates of the Apollo 11 landing are 00°41?15?N, 23°26?00?E. You can see the landing site by clicking here at Google Moon.

The Sea of Tranquility

The exact location of the landing is now known as Statio Tranquillitatis (Tranquility Base) in honour of the landings. There are also three nearby craters named Aldrin, Armstrong and Collins.

If there is anything more you would like to know about the Apollo 11 landing specifically, do not hesistate to ask!