Space Mission
Apollo 11, 16-24 July 1969
Photographer
Automatic 16mm movie camera mounted to the Pilot window of the LM Eagle
Photo Description
Vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper; Numbered to upper margin ‘NASA S-69-40308’ with ‘A Kodak Paper’ watermarks to verso.
10 h × 8 w in (25 × 20 cm)
Essay
One of the only images released by NASA showing the two Apollo 11 astronauts on the Moon, it was captured by an automatic 16mm movie camera mounted to the Pilot window of the LM Eagle. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are setting up the US flag at Tranquility Base. The TV camera is in the background. The LM shadow and a thruster are in the foreground.
“During a pause in experiments, Neil suggested we proceed with the flag. It took both of us to set it up and it was nearly a disaster. Public Relations obviously needs practice just as everything else does. A small telescoping arm was attached to the flagpole to keep the flag extended and perpendicular. As hard as we tried, the telescope wouldn’t fully extend. Thus the flags which should have been flat, had its own unique permanent wave.”
—Buzz Aldrin (NASA SP-350, pg. 216)
From the mission transcript as the scene was described by Mission Control in Houston to Michael Collins orbiting the Moon in Columbia (image captured at T+110:09:50 from launch):
110:09:05 McCandless (Mission Control):The EVA is progressing beautifully. I believe they are setting up the flag now.
110:09:14 Collins: Great!
110:09:18 McCandless: I guess you’re about the only person around that doesn’t have TV coverage of the scene.
110:09:25 Collins: That’s all right. I don’t mind a bit. (Pause) How is the quality of the TV?
110:09:35 McCandless: Oh, it’s beautiful, Mike. It really is.
110:09:39 Collins: Oh, gee, that’s great! Is the lighting halfway decent?
110:09:43 McCandless: Yes, indeed. They’ve got the flag up now and you can see the stars and stripes on the lunar surface.
110:09:50 Collins: Beautiful. Just beautiful.