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Remembering Apollo 11: Golden Anniversary Celebrations Mark Start of First Moon Mission 

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Tuesday, July 16, 2019, marked the 50th anniversary of the liftoff of Apollo 11. NASA and the country are observing the anniversary of the historic journey.

The Saturn V rocket lifted off at 9:32 am Eastern time on July 16, 1969, sending three American astronauts on their way to the first landing on the moon four days later.  

In remembrance, NASA invited Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins to Kennedy Space Center's Launch Complex 39A on Tuesday. The two men marked the precise moment that their Saturn V rocket blasted off from its launch pad. 

Mission commander Neil Armstrong, who was the first man to walk on the moon, died in 2012.

At the same time, Aldrin and Collins were recalling the historic moment, 5,000 model rockets launched simultaneously at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. 

At the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, Armstrong's newly restored spacesuit also went on display.

NASA also shared highlights and clips of the historic moon mission on social media. 
 
A launch to remember: Hear from Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins as we count down to the exact moment when three humans lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A on a journey to walk on the Moon 50 years ago. As we reflect on this milestone in space exploration, Collins will be joined by Apollo engineer JoAnn Morgan and Launch Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson from the Launch Control Center. 

Tuesday's remembrance kicks off eight days of golden anniversary celebrations for each day of Apollo 11's voyage.

At the end of this week, CBN News will bring you a look at how the subject of God frequently came up during the moon missions.

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About The Author

Steve Warren is a senior multimedia producer for CBN News. Warren has worked in the news departments of television stations and cable networks across the country. In addition, he also worked as a producer-director in television production and on-air promotion. A Civil War historian, he authored the book The Second Battle of Cabin Creek: Brilliant Victory. It was the companion book to the television documentary titled Last Raid at Cabin Creek currently streaming on Amazon Prime. He holds an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a B.A. in Communication from the University of