The First Man on the Moon

On July 20, 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the Moon, making history with his famous words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” This moment was part of the Apollo 11 mission, led by NASA, the United States’ space agency. Alongside Armstrong were Buzz Aldrin, who also walked on the Moon, and Michael Collins, who stayed in the command module orbiting the Moon.

The journey to the Moon was a major achievement during the Space Race, a period when the United States and the Soviet Union competed to achieve space exploration milestones. The Apollo 11 mission required incredible technology, teamwork, and bravery. The astronauts traveled in a spacecraft over 380,000 kilometers from Earth to reach their destination.

After Armstrong and Aldrin spent about 21 hours on the Moon’s surface, they returned to the command module and, together with Collins, headed back to Earth, landing safely in the Pacific Ocean. This historic mission inspired people around the world and marked a new era in space exploration. Today, Armstrong’s footprint on the Moon remains, a symbol of human curiosity and courage.

Palavras Difíceis: Apollo 11 (the name of the mission that landed the first humans on the Moon; nome da missão que levou os primeiros humanos à Lua), Space Race (a competition between countries to achieve space exploration firsts; uma competição entre países para alcançar marcos na exploração espacial).