Notable quotes on the Apollo 11 moon landing:
"I believe this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before the decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth." — President John F. Kennedy in special address to Congress on May 25, 1961.
"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard." — Kennedy at Rice University on Sept. 12, 1962.
"Twelve, 11, 10, 9, ignition sequence start. Six, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, zero, all engine running. Liftoff! We have a liftoff, 32 minutes past the hour. Liftoff on Apollo 11." — Jack King, NASA's "voice of launch control." He later said he was so excited that he said "engine" instead of "engines."
"Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." — NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong after landing on the moon July 20, 1969.
"Roger, Tranquility. We copy you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again. Thanks a lot." — Mission Control after Armstrong confirmed landing.
"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." — Armstrong as he stepped onto the moon. He later said he meant to say "for a man."
"Beautiful, beautiful. Magnificent desolation." — NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin as he followed Armstrong onto the moon's surface.
"For one priceless moment in the whole history of man, all the people on this Earth are truly one." President Richard Nixon, in telephone call to Armstrong and Aldrin while they were on the moon.
"Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon. July 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind." — plaque on lunar module.
