Space Mission
Apollo 11, 16-24 July 1969
Photographer
Neil Armstrong
Photo Description
Vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper 10 h × 8 w in (25 × 20 cm); ‘A Kodak Paper’ watermarks to verso.
Essay
Armstrong captured this close-up of Aldrin as he was making final adjustments on the seismometer. Through the visor, Aldrin’s face is distinguishable. Footprints made by the first moonwalkers are in the foreground. The 35mm stereo Kodak close-up camera is in the right background.
From the mission transcript when the photograph was taken:
111:06:34 Aldrin: Houston, as I was facing the PSE (Passive Seismic Experiment), the right-hand solar array deployed automatically. The left-hand I had to manually (garbled) restraining bar at the far end. And all parts of the solar array are clear of the ground now.
111:07:02 McCandless: Buzz, this is Houston. I understand that you did successfully deploy both solar arrays. Over.
111:07:10 Aldrin: Roger. That’s affirmative. (Pause) And there isn’t any way of telling whether that’s lined up, without getting in the way; maybe I can get down here.
111:07:40 Aldrin: Well, that appears to be pointing.