Moon landing was 'one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind' - Houston Chronicle
Moon landing was 'one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind'
Kennedy's vision led U.S. to the moon, with Houston fully embracing its role
By James Haynes
Updated 10:59 am, Wednesday, September 7, 2016
Photo: Jim Coker, HC Staff
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08/16/1969 - Main Street Houston - Astronaut Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, waves to Houstonians who came by the thousands August  16, 1969 to cheer the Apollo 11 astronauts, Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins after their historic moon landing in July.  Jim Coker / Houston Chronicle less
08/16/1969 - Main Street Houston - Astronaut Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, waves to Houstonians who came by the thousands August  16, 1969 to cheer the Apollo 11 astronauts, Armstrong, Aldrin and ... more
Photo: Jim Coker, HC Staff
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Houston Chronicle front page (HISTORIC) -- July 21, 1969 (FINAL EDITION, first Moon landing) -- Armstrong and Aldrin 'Take One Small Step for Man' on the Moon.
Houston Chronicle front page (HISTORIC) -- July 21, 1969 (FINAL EDITION, first Moon landing) -- Armstrong and Aldrin 'Take One Small Step for Man' on the Moon.
Photo: Houston Chronicle
08/16/1969 - Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins in ticker tape parade in downtown Houston.
08/16/1969 - Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins in ticker tape parade in downtown Houston.
Photo: Jerry Click, HP Staff
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08/16/1969 -- METROPOLITAN THEATER MARQUEE CONGRATULATES ASTRONAUTS - Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin and wife by marquee telling moonmen they have "True Grit" during ticker tape parade in downtown Houston
08/16/1969 -- METROPOLITAN THEATER MARQUEE CONGRATULATES ASTRONAUTS - Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin and wife by marquee telling moonmen they have "True Grit" during ticker tape parade in downtown Houston
Photo: Fred Bunch, HP Staff
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08/16/1969 - Thousands of Houstonians turned out to celebrate and greet Apollo astronauts after the Apollo 11 moon landing at a ticker tape parade in downtown Houston.
08/16/1969 - Thousands of Houstonians turned out to celebrate and greet Apollo astronauts after the Apollo 11 moon landing at a ticker tape parade in downtown Houston.
Photo: HP Staff
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﻿Thousands of Houstonians turned out to celebrate and greet Apollo astronauts ﻿at a ticker-tape parade downtown ﻿in August 1969, the month after the moon landing.
﻿Thousands of Houstonians turned out to celebrate and greet Apollo astronauts ﻿at a ticker-tape parade downtown ﻿in August 1969, the month after the moon landing.
Photo: HP Staff
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FILE - In this July 20, 1969 file photo from NASA,  Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, is photographed walking near the lunar module during the Apollo 11 extravehicular activity. (AP Photo, NASA ,file) less
FILE - In this July 20, 1969 file photo from NASA,  Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, is photographed walking near the lunar module during the Apollo 11 extravehicular activity. (AP Photo, NASA ... more
Photo: NEIL ARMSTRONG, HO
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Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, the first men to land on the moon, plant the U.S. flag on the lunar surface, July 20, 1969.  Photo was made by a 16mm movie camera inside the lunar module, shooting at one frame per second.  (Nasa via AP) less
Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, the first men to land on the moon, plant the U.S. flag on the lunar surface, July 20, 1969.  Photo was made by a 16mm movie camera inside the ... more
Photo: Anonymous, HOGP
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08/10/1969 -- Astronaut Edwin Aldrin Jr. (Buzz Aldrin) smiles as he is released from the Lunar Receiving Laboratory (LRL) at the Manned Spacecraft Center.  Aldrin, along with the other Apollo 11 astronauts, were quarantined in the LRL following their return from the moon.  Fred Bunch / Houston Post   HPOST CAPTION (08/11/1969): Col. Edwin E. Aldrin, all smiles, all through less
08/10/1969 -- Astronaut Edwin Aldrin Jr. (Buzz Aldrin) smiles as he is released from the Lunar Receiving Laboratory (LRL) at the Manned Spacecraft Center.  Aldrin, along with the other Apollo 11 astronauts, ... more
Photo: Fred Bunch, HP Staff
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Houston Chronicle front page (HISTORIC) -- July 16, 1969 (FINAL 2-STAR EDITION) -- Apollo 11 Aiming at Moon Orbit; Mission Is Man's Oldest Dream
Houston Chronicle front page (HISTORIC) -- July 16, 1969 (FINAL 2-STAR EDITION) -- Apollo 11 Aiming at Moon Orbit; Mission Is Man's Oldest Dream
Photo: Houston Chronicle microfilm
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**ADVANCE FOR MONDAY, JULY 20**  FILE - In this July  1969 file photo,  Astronaut Edwin Aldrin walks by the footpad of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module. (AP/Photo, NASA, file)
**ADVANCE FOR MONDAY, JULY 20**  FILE - In this July  1969 file photo,  Astronaut Edwin Aldrin walks by the footpad of the Apollo 11 Lunar Module. (AP/Photo, NASA, file)
Photo: NASA
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08/16/1969 - Thousands of Houstonians turned out to celebrate and greet Apollo astronauts after the Apollo 11 moon landing at a ticker tape parade in downtown Houston.
08/16/1969 - Thousands of Houstonians turned out to celebrate and greet Apollo astronauts after the Apollo 11 moon landing at a ticker tape parade in downtown Houston.
Photo: HP Staff
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Tribute and celebration for Apollo 11 astronauts and MSC space program folks at the Astrodome, August 16, 1969.
Tribute and celebration for Apollo 11 astronauts and MSC space program folks at the Astrodome, August 16, 1969.
Photo: HP Staff
FILE--Apollo 11 lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., in this file photo..  (AP Photo/HO) LAUNCH.
FILE--Apollo 11 lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Fla., in this file photo..  (AP Photo/HO) LAUNCH.
Photo: HO
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Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, lunar module pilot of the first lunar landing mission, poses for a photograph beside the deployed United States flag during Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969.  Astronaut Neil Armstrong took the photograph. less
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, lunar module pilot of the first lunar landing mission, poses for a photograph beside the deployed United States flag during Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969.  Astronaut Neil Armstrong took the ... more
Photo: NASA
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06/1969 - The Saturn V rocket with the Apollo 11 spacecraft atop sits on Launch Pad 39A, part of the Launch Complex 39 site at the Kennedy Space Center. The Apollo 11 mission, which includes the first lunar landing of man on the moon, is planned for July launch. less
06/1969 - The Saturn V rocket with the Apollo 11 spacecraft atop sits on Launch Pad 39A, part of the Launch Complex 39 site at the Kennedy Space Center. The Apollo 11 mission, which includes the first lunar ... more
Photo: David Nance, HC Staff
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08/16/1969 - Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin waves to parade-goers at Apollo 11 ticker tape parade in downtown Houston.
08/16/1969 - Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin waves to parade-goers at Apollo 11 ticker tape parade in downtown Houston.
Photo: Darrell Davidson, HC Staff
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08/16/1969 - Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins in ticker tape parade in downtown Houston celebrating the moon landing..
08/16/1969 - Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins in ticker tape parade in downtown Houston celebrating the moon landing..
Photo: Jerry Click, HP Staff
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Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin walks on the surface of the moon near the leg of the Lunar Module "Eagle" on July 20, 1969. ﻿
Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin walks on the surface of the moon near the leg of the Lunar Module "Eagle" on July 20, 1969. ﻿
Photo: NASA
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**ADVANCE FOR MONDAY, JULY 20**  FILE - In this July 21, 1969 file photo provided by NASA, mission control personnel watch the moon walk by Apollo 11 astronauts, in Houston. (AP Photo/NASA, file)
**ADVANCE FOR MONDAY, JULY 20**  FILE - In this July 21, 1969 file photo provided by NASA, mission control personnel watch the moon walk by Apollo 11 astronauts, in Houston. (AP Photo/NASA, file)
Photo: Anonymous, HO
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08/16/1969 -  Astronaut Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, waves to Houstonians who came by the thousands to downtown Houston, August 16, 1969 to cheer the Apollo 11 astronauts, Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins after their historic moon landing in July. less
08/16/1969 -  Astronaut Neil Armstrong, first man on the moon, waves to Houstonians who came by the thousands to downtown Houston, August 16, 1969 to cheer the Apollo 11 astronauts, Armstrong, Aldrin and ... more
Photo: Larry Evans, HC Staff
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Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, prepares to deploy the Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package (EASEP) during the Apollo II lunar surface extravehicular activity, July 20, 1969.  Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, commander, took this photograph with a 70 mm lunar surface camera.  During flight the EASEP is stowed in the Lunar Module scientific bay at the left rear quadrant of the descent stage looking forward.  Aldrin is removing the EASEP from its stowed position. (AP Photo/HO) less
Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, prepares to deploy the Early Apollo Scientific Experiments Package (EASEP) during the Apollo II lunar surface extravehicular activity, July 20, 1969. ... more
Photo: NEIL A. ARMSTRONG, HO
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FILE--President Nixon views the Apollo 11 astronauts in the isolation unit aboard the USS Hornet after splashdown and recovery, in this July 24, 1969 file photo. July 20, 1999 marks the 30th anniversary of the landing on the moon by the Apollo II crew. The Astronauts, left to right, are:  Neil Armstrong,  Michael Collins and Edwin A. Aldrin.  (AP photo)      HOUCHRON CAPTION (12/06/2000): President Nixon greets the Appollo 11 astronauts - from left, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin Aldrin - in the isolation unit aboard the USS Hornet after their return from the moon landing mission. Nixon was prepared for a tragic outcome. less
FILE--President Nixon views the Apollo 11 astronauts in the isolation unit aboard the USS Hornet after splashdown and recovery, in this July 24, 1969 file photo. July 20, 1999 marks the 30th anniversary of the ... more
Photo: AP