Today in Space! July 16, 1969: Apollo 11 Launches to the Moon

Welcome to "Today in Space," where we peer back in our archives to find historic moments in spaceflight and astronomy. So enjoy a blast from the past with Space.com's Hanneke Weitering to look back at what happened on this day in space!

On July 16, 1969, NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins blasted off on their famous mission to land and walk on the moon. 

Apollo 11 launched from NASA's historic launchpad 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The astronauts rode to space on top of NASA's gigantic Saturn V rocket.

NASA's Historic Apollo 11 Moon Landing in Pictures

NASA's 17 Apollo Moon Missions in Pictures

The rocket carrying Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins to the moon blasts off from Florida on July 16, 1969.

Credit: NASA

Four days later, on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong took "one giant leap" and became the first person to walk on the moon, followed by Buzz Aldrin. Michael Collins, meanwhile, hung out inside the command module in lunar orbit while his crewmates went for a stroll, testing out their new spacesuits and collecting moon rocks.