55th Anniversary of Apollo 11 Moon Landing

The 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing marks a historic achievement in space exploration, with astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin becoming the first humans to walk on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969, while Michael Collins orbited above. Despite the monumental success, NASA's Apollo program ended in 1972 due to political and financial reasons, and no manned missions have since returned. The iconic American flag planted by Armstrong and Aldrin faced challenges in the airless lunar environment, ultimately being knocked over during the lunar module's departure. Experts cite political shifts and a focus on other space programs, like the Space Shuttle and International Space Station, as reasons for the long hiatus. Michael Collins, often referred to as the 'forgotten astronaut,' expressed a profound sense of Earth's fragility and beauty from space. The engineering behind the flag and the astronauts' experiences remain emblematic of human ingenuity and exploration.