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Apollo 11 Launch Footage: This Happened 45 Years Ago Today

It Is 45 Years Since Literally The Most Awesome Thing Ever
Michael Rundle
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Apollo 11 lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center exactly 45 years ago today.

Astronauts Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong lifted off atop a Saturn V rocket on July 16 1969.

Millions watched the event live on TV, as the rocket successfully left Launch Pad 39A at 1.32pm local time. The rocket made it to Earth orbit in 12 minutes and began its long journey towards our only natural satellite.

It would take the astronauts four days to arrive at the Moon, whereupon Armstrong and Aldrin descended to the Lunar surface and took humanity's first steps on another world on 20 July 1969.

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Broadcast live on TV as he stepped onto the Moon, Armstrong famously said that his journey represented "one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind".

They would all safely return to Earth, to be followed by a further 10 astronauts destined to walk on the Lunar surface. No human has been back to the Moon since the successful conclusion of the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

Apollo 11 Launch: In Pictures
US Vice-President Spiro Agnew and former(01 of10)
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US Vice-President Spiro Agnew and former US President Lyndon B. Johnson are seen in a crowd watching the liftoff of the Apollo 11 mission at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on July 16, 1969. AFP PHOTO NASA (Photo credit should read /AFP/Getty Images) (credit:AFP via Getty Images)
30th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Mission(02 of10)
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376713 15: (FILE PHOTO) The Apollo 11 Saturn V space vehicle lifts off July 16, 1969 from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex in Florida. The space craft was injected into lunar orbit on July 19 with Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. on board. The 30th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing mission is celebrated July 20, 1999. (Photo by NASA/Newsmakers) (credit:NASA via Getty Images)
30th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Mission(03 of10)
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376713 21: (FILE PHOTO) The Apollo 11 Saturn V space vehicle lifts off July 16, 1969 from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex in Florida. The space craft was injected into lunar orbit on July 19, 1969 with Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. on board. The 30th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing mission is celebrated July 20, 1999. (Photo by NASA/Newsmakers) (credit:NASA via Getty Images)
In this NASA handout picture taken in Ju(04 of10)
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In this NASA handout picture taken in July 16, 1969, the American flag heralds the flight of Apollo 11, the first Lunar landing mission. The Apollo 11 Saturn V space vehicle lifted off with astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin, at 9:32 a.m. July 16, 1969, from Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex. During the planned eight-day mission, Armstrong and Aldrin will descend in a lunar module to the Moon's surface while Collins orbits overhead in the Command Module. The two astronauts are to spend 22 hours on the Moon, including two and one-half hours outside the lunar module. AFP PHOTO NASA (Photo credit should read /AFP/Getty Images) (credit:AFP via Getty Images)
30th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Mission(05 of10)
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376713 23: (FILE PHOTO) A pre-launch twilight photo of the The Apollo 11 Saturn V space vehicle. It lifted off July 16, 1969 from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The space craft was injected into lunar orbit July 19, 1969 with Astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. on board. The 30th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing mission is celebrated July 20, 1999. (Photo by NASA/Newsmakers) (credit:NASA via Getty Images)
This NASA handout picture taken on July(06 of10)
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This NASA handout picture taken on July 16, 1969, shows some of the thousands of people who camped out on beaches and roads adjacent to the Kennedy Space Center to watch the Apollo 11 Liftoff. AFP PHOTO NASA (Photo credit should read /AFP/Getty Images) (credit:AFP via Getty Images)
In this NASA handout picture Apollo 11 m(07 of10)
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In this NASA handout picture Apollo 11 mission officials celebrate in the Launch Control Center following the successful Apollo 11 liftoff on July 16, 1969. From left to right are: Charles W. Mathews, Deputy Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight; Dr. Wernher von Braun, Director of the Marshall Space Flight Center; George Mueller, Associate Administrator for the Office of Manned Space Flight; Lt. Gen. Samuel C. Phillips, Director of the Apollo Program. AFP PHOTO NASA (Photo credit should read /AFP/Getty Images) (credit:AFP via Getty Images)
Apollo 11 Saturn V Launch (HD) Camera E-8 on Vimeo by Mark Gray(08 of10)
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This clip is raw from Camera E-8 on the launch umbilical tower/mobile launch program of Apollo 11, July 16, 1969. This is an HD transfer from the 16mm original. Even more excellent footage is available on our DVDs at our website at www.spacecraftfilms.comThe camera is running at 500 fps, making the total clip of over 8 minutes represent just 30 seconds of actual time. Narration is provided by Mark Gray (me), Executive Producer for Spacecraft Films. Watch this video on Vimeo. Video created by Mark Gray. (credit:MikeBlogs/Flickr)
Apollo 11 Launch(09 of10)
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The Apollo 11 Saturn V space vehicle climbs toward orbit after liftoff from Pad 39A at 9:32 a.m. EDT. In 2 1/2 minutes of powered flight, the S-IC booster lifts the vehicle to an altitude of about 39 miles some 55 miles downrange. This photo was taken with a 70mm telescopic camera mounted in an Air Force EC-135N plane. Onboard are astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr.Date:7/16/1969NASA Center:Kennedy Space CenterTo learn more about Apollo 11 go to: www.nasa.gov/externalflash/apollo11_40/Credit: NASA/APOLLO 11NASA Goddard Space Flight Center is home to the nation's largest organization of combined scientists, engineers and technologists that build spacecraft, instruments and new technology to study the Earth, the sun, our solar system, and the universe.Follow us on TwitterJoin us on Facebook (credit:NASA Goddard Photo and Video/Flickr)
Apollo 11 Saturn-V Rocket on Transporter (1969)(10 of10)
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This is an aerial view of the fully assembled Saturn V rocket with Apollo 11 command module and lunar module in place atop the gigantic structure, being transported to the launch pad. The rockets are assembled in the "Vertical Assembly Building" (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center, then moved to their launch site on the slow-moving transporters. Here the transporter has just finished moving up a five-degree incline at launch complex 39A.Photograph taken on 20 May 1969.Credit: NASA, [KSC] Image #69P-0410 [source]. (credit:Euclid vanderKroew/Flickr)
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