JULY 16 1969 - Man sets off for the moon

50 YEARS AGO TODAY:

JULY 16TH 1969 - APOLLO 11 LIFTED OFF ON ITS JOURNEY TO THE MOON

THIS WAS TRULY A GIANT STEP FOR MAN AND A TECHNOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENT OF EPIC PROPORTIONS. IT WAS ALSO ONE WHICH DEMONSTRATED THE VALUE OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION WITH A PEACEFUL INTENT. WHILST THE GREAT BULK OF THOSE INVOLVED WERE AMERICAN CITIZENS THERE WAS ALSO A SIGNIFICANT FOREIGN CONTRIBUTION IN PARTICULAR BRITAIN

"Nasa, the American Space Agency formed in 1958, needed the best people it could get - and in the Fifties and Sixties, Britain, which retained its own rocketry and space programmes, probably had more experts in the field than any other Western nation outside the States".*

"We came in peace for all mankind"

(The plaque left on the moon)

Sources:

*Moon landing anniversary: a giant leap for Britain, too by Doug Millard Telegraph 7July 2009

The International Significance of the Lunar Landing by Foy D. Kohler and Dodd L. Harvey

Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs Vol. 12, No. 1 (Jan., 1970), pp. 3-30 Published by: Cambridge University Press

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