1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:01,600 [MUSIC] 2 00:00:01,600 --> 00:00:03,200 Hello! 3 00:00:03,200 --> 00:00:04,200 Hello, NASA. 4 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:06,000 Hi NASA, it’s me! 5 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:11,070 The day was one of the ones that stand out in my life-- 50 years later. 6 00:00:11,070 --> 00:00:13,730 We told each other, can you believe we’re seeing this? 7 00:00:13,730 --> 00:00:18,180 We could just make out the grainy images on our little black-and-white television. 8 00:00:18,180 --> 00:00:22,920 It was just amazing to think that there were people on that Moon up there that we could 9 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:23,920 see. 10 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:27,170 I had just turned five and we got to stay up late to watch it on television. 11 00:00:27,170 --> 00:00:31,060 It was July 20, 1969. 12 00:00:31,060 --> 00:00:32,790 [MUSIC] 13 00:00:32,790 --> 00:00:37,840 NARRATOR: Welcome to NASA Explorers: Apollo, the bonus episode! 14 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:42,700 Throughout the series, we brought you stories of our Moon and the people who explore it. 15 00:00:42,700 --> 00:00:47,460 You met a Moon detective, learned about the MNGRL lab, and took a musical tour through 16 00:00:47,460 --> 00:00:50,650 the last half-century of lunar science. 17 00:00:50,650 --> 00:00:55,040 You also heard from people all over the world whose lives were shaped by the epic adventures 18 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:57,050 of the Apollo program! 19 00:00:57,050 --> 00:01:02,460 To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, we asked you to help NASA tell the story 20 00:01:02,460 --> 00:01:04,460 of the first Moon landing. 21 00:01:04,460 --> 00:01:10,580 We received over 300 stories from people all over the world. You heard some of these stories 22 00:01:10,580 --> 00:01:16,859 in the series, and we’re so excited to share a few more with you before we say goodbye. 23 00:01:16,859 --> 00:01:22,299 John Oliver Smith, from Ohio, taped the whole thing with a reel-to-reel recorder. 24 00:01:22,299 --> 00:01:27,220 In his Apollo story, he shared some of that tape and reflected on what the historic moment 25 00:01:27,220 --> 00:01:29,140 means to him. 26 00:01:30,140 --> 00:01:34,360 JOHN:I recall it was hot and humid-- a typical July day in western Ohio. It was one of those 27 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:39,350 summers I spent swimming at the pond, doing chores with Dad, playing out in the fields, 28 00:01:39,350 --> 00:01:41,680 and making my own discoveries. 29 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:46,240 My older brother Jim was out traveling the world somewhere. My teenage sisters were busy 30 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:51,119 with their friends, and one of our local natives was in a small spaceship headed for the Moon. 31 00:01:51,119 --> 00:01:54,270 ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE: Eagle, you’re looking great. Coming up nine minutes. 32 00:01:54,270 --> 00:02:00,859 JOHN:I had a reel-to-reel tape recorder, a household item before VCRs, DVDs, and iPhones. I carried 33 00:02:00,859 --> 00:02:04,420 it everywhere. This was obviously a day to be recorded. 34 00:02:04,420 --> 00:02:12,550 ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE: July 20th, 1969. It is 10 p.m. The following are the voices of Neil A. Armstrong, Air Force 35 00:02:12,550 --> 00:02:17,070 Colonel Edwin Aldrin Jr. They are the first men to ever walk on the Moon. 36 00:02:17,070 --> 00:02:21,570 JOHN: Neil Armstrong was a local boy. He grew up no more than 20 miles away, and his parents 37 00:02:21,570 --> 00:02:27,660 still lived nearby. Grandma and Grandpa were coming over. Mom had cooked something special 38 00:02:27,660 --> 00:02:32,390 and we were getting ready to watch Neil Armstrong do what no man had ever done before. 39 00:02:32,390 --> 00:02:36,420 Grandpa was sipping his drink-- wine or scotch, I don’t remember which. But he was already 40 00:02:36,420 --> 00:02:41,760 on his second. Mom said he’d better land on the Moon or Grandpa will get there first. 41 00:02:41,760 --> 00:02:45,200 FAMILY FOOTAGE:Hurry up, or Grandpa’ll land first! 42 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:53,400 ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE: We copy you down, Eagle. Houston, uh, tranquility base here. The Eagle has landed. Rocket to 43 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:58,630 Tranquility, we copy on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We’re 44 00:02:58,630 --> 00:03:00,370 breathing again, thanks a lot. 45 00:03:00,370 --> 00:03:05,510 JOHN: My father, the engineer, was explaining the events on TV moment by moment. We all held 46 00:03:05,510 --> 00:03:08,230 our breath at 9:56 p.m. 47 00:03:08,230 --> 00:03:15,930 ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE: That’s one small step for man. One giant leap for mankind. 48 00:03:15,930 --> 00:03:20,190 JOHN: When we mark the anniversary this summer, I will fall back 50 years to the day I first 49 00:03:20,190 --> 00:03:25,240 heard that phrase-- a giant leap for mankind. But I won’t be thinking of only Neil Armstrong. 50 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:29,480 I’ll see perfectly my mom, dad, grandma, and grandpa all sitting in the living room 51 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:34,400 around the television in our little house in western Ohio. I’ll also be sitting with 52 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:39,960 my beautiful wife, children, and grandchildren, and thinking of the future, imagining discoveries 53 00:03:39,960 --> 00:03:42,710 yet to come, and wondering what they will remember. 54 00:03:42,710 --> 00:03:43,910 [MUSIC] 55 00:03:43,910 --> 00:03:48,790 NARRATOR Candy was in Rome when the first people walked on the Moon! Here’s what she remembers: 56 00:03:48,790 --> 00:03:54,870 CANDY: I had the privilege of visiting Europe when I was 17 years old in the summer of ‘69 57 00:03:54,870 --> 00:04:01,030 with the All Ohio Youth Choir. Although we were warmly greeted everywhere we toured, 58 00:04:01,030 --> 00:04:07,370 one day as we exited our bus in Rome, we were greeted with hugs and kisses, cheers and bouquets 59 00:04:07,370 --> 00:04:08,710 of flowers. 60 00:04:08,710 --> 00:04:14,010 We had no idea what the extra affection was about until our translator explained that 61 00:04:14,010 --> 00:04:18,930 the Italians were congratulating us as Americans for landing on the Moon! 62 00:04:18,930 --> 00:04:26,030 I bought a local paper with the headline “Luna” in bold block letters that day, which I still 63 00:04:26,030 --> 00:04:32,430 have to this day. And I remember the excitement and pride in the American spirit, and the 64 00:04:32,430 --> 00:04:37,550 worldwide community cordiality with our success, which was success for mankind. 65 00:04:37,550 --> 00:04:44,600 Congrats, fellow Americans and the whole world on the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing. 66 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:49,789 NARRATOR: Whenever Richie from Washington thinks of Apollo, he thinks of his grandfather and 67 00:04:49,789 --> 00:04:55,539 a special moment they shared together. While they watched the Moon landing, his grandpa 68 00:04:55,539 --> 00:04:57,909 said something Richie would never forget: 69 00:04:57,909 --> 00:05:07,849 RICHIE: In 1969, July, I was 13 years old. We were on vacation at my grandparents’ house in 70 00:05:07,849 --> 00:05:17,360 rural Nebraska. My grandfather was in his early 80s, I believe at the time, and we sat 71 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:21,449 and watched on their black-and-white TV the launch of Apollo 11. 72 00:05:21,449 --> 00:05:27,350 I was a little disappointed because we were a long way from a television transmitter and 73 00:05:27,350 --> 00:05:33,969 the picture was a little fuzzy. And as it lifted off, I looked over at my grandfather 74 00:05:33,969 --> 00:05:34,969 and he was crying. 75 00:05:34,969 --> 00:05:39,650 There were tears in his eyes, and I was like, “Grandpa! This is like, the greatest achievement 76 00:05:39,650 --> 00:05:42,400 on mankind. Why are you crying?” 77 00:05:42,460 --> 00:05:49,520 And he paused a moment and looked at me and said, “When I came to Nebraska, it was in 78 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:50,780 a covered wagon.” 79 00:05:50,780 --> 00:05:57,740 And I kind of shrugged and didn’t quite get it at the time. A few days later, the 80 00:05:57,740 --> 00:06:04,539 landing happened and we were back home in Chicago and when I heard Neil Armstrong say, 81 00:06:04,539 --> 00:06:12,279 “One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind” I instantly got it. 82 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:19,990 During my grandfather’s lifetime, the practical automobile was invented and perfected. Aviation 83 00:06:19,990 --> 00:06:27,289 was invented and perfected. Space science, rocketry, computers, all of that and here 84 00:06:27,289 --> 00:06:35,180 he was, after seeing all that, watching human beings take off to go to the Moon. 85 00:06:35,180 --> 00:06:41,289 Whenever I think of Apollo 11, I think of my grandfather as a child riding in the back 86 00:06:41,289 --> 00:06:48,309 of a covered wagon, going to Nebraska to a kind of an uncertain future. Homesteading. 87 00:06:48,309 --> 00:06:54,100 And I kind of wonder, when will we go back? When will we get a chance to homestead? 88 00:06:54,100 --> 00:06:57,600 Hopefully soon. 89 00:06:57,650 --> 00:07:02,199 NARRATOR: Our next story comes to us from Ellen who lives in California. She remembers trying 90 00:07:02,199 --> 00:07:06,400 to find the Apollo 11 crew in the night sky as a little girl. 91 00:07:06,469 --> 00:07:13,449 ELLEN: Do I remember the Moon landing? You bet I do. Mom was always a big fan of the space 92 00:07:13,449 --> 00:07:20,059 program, so we were all glued to the television that day. Mind you, this is a television that 93 00:07:20,059 --> 00:07:24,750 only got three channels, so I’m grateful that we were able to watch. 94 00:07:24,750 --> 00:07:31,639 It was quite fuzzy, but it was so exciting. And me, being young, I immediately went outside 95 00:07:31,639 --> 00:07:36,719 with a pair of binoculars to stare at the Moon to see if I could see Neil Armstrong 96 00:07:36,719 --> 00:07:37,939 walking on the Moon. 97 00:07:37,939 --> 00:07:44,020 You know when you’re young, anything is possible. I know it sounds silly, but it was 98 00:07:44,020 --> 00:07:50,830 very exciting. I am so proud that we were able to do that. NASA, thanks to you. You 99 00:07:50,830 --> 00:07:56,800 all got the job done. You pulled off the big one. Thanks again. 100 00:07:56,810 --> 00:08:01,309 NARRATOR: We also received a very sweet recording from Abi in England. She interviewed her six-year-old 101 00:08:01,309 --> 00:08:04,600 daughter Sennen about her thoughts on the Moon. 102 00:08:04,659 --> 00:08:11,490 ABI: I live in Cornwall, in the UK, and I’m here with my daughter Sennen, who is six. 103 00:08:11,490 --> 00:08:13,490 SENNEN: Hello! 104 00:08:13,490 --> 00:08:19,729 ABI: So Sennen, what do you think it would be like to see humans walk on the Moon again? 105 00:08:19,729 --> 00:08:21,729 SENNEN: Exciting. 106 00:08:21,729 --> 00:08:22,729 ABI: Why do you think that? 107 00:08:22,729 --> 00:08:28,020 SENNEN: Because I...because it...makes me feel like I’m on the Moon. 108 00:08:28,020 --> 00:08:35,789 ABI: Wow, that is exciting, isn’t it? When you think about the Moon, what do you think about? 109 00:08:35,789 --> 00:08:40,849 SENNEN: I think it...I think it’s a big block of cheese! 110 00:08:40,849 --> 00:08:45,180 ABI: And Sennen, what do you want to know about the Moon? 111 00:08:45,180 --> 00:08:55,800 SENNEN: Um, how it fits in the air in the sky, and floats around a bit. 112 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:58,800 ABI: Is there anything else you want to say about the Moon? 113 00:08:58,801 --> 00:09:06,200 SENNEN: Um, how the Sun comes up and where does the Moon go? 114 00:09:06,200 --> 00:09:09,600 ABI: Wow, thank you Sennen. 115 00:09:09,600 --> 00:09:10,600 SENNEN: Bye! 116 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:13,500 NARRATOR: Thank you Sennen and Abi. 117 00:09:13,500 --> 00:09:17,971 And thank you to everyone who has helped us tell the Apollo story so far. The stories 118 00:09:17,971 --> 00:09:24,440 you sent in surprised and delighted us. They’re a reminder that our history is a shared history, 119 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:28,160 and that exploration brings us together. 120 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:31,120 If you have a story you’d like to share, it’s not too late. 121 00:09:31,120 --> 00:09:36,300 We’ll be collecting stories throughout the year, sharing them on social media and adding 122 00:09:36,300 --> 00:09:39,130 them to the NASA archives. 123 00:09:39,130 --> 00:09:42,323 Check out nasa.gov/apollostories to learn how to get involved. 124 00:09:42,323 --> 00:09:46,580 [MUSIC] 125 00:09:46,580 --> 00:09:52,160 So, That’s all for this season of NASA Explorers. 126 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:58,329 We hope you enjoyed this series … we had a ton of fun making it for you. Thanks to 127 00:09:58,329 --> 00:10:03,850 everyone who supported this audio series, including NASA Goddard’s Solar System Exploration 128 00:10:03,850 --> 00:10:08,329 Division and the NASA Explorers team. 129 00:10:08,329 --> 00:10:12,759 If you like NASA Explorers, why not leave us a rating and write a quick review in your 130 00:10:12,759 --> 00:10:16,269 podcast app? It helps us grow. 131 00:10:16,269 --> 00:10:22,100 And, if you’re looking for more Moon stories from NASA, you’re in luck. 132 00:10:22,100 --> 00:10:27,740 You can check out other NASA podcasts, like Gravity Assist or Houston We Have a Podcast, 133 00:10:27,740 --> 00:10:31,149 to learn more about the Moon and human spaceflight. 134 00:10:31,149 --> 00:10:36,500 Then, check out the On a Mission podcast from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to take 135 00:10:36,500 --> 00:10:39,740 a deep dive on the InSight mission to Mars. 136 00:10:39,740 --> 00:10:48,300 You can find all of these shows on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, and Google Play. 137 00:10:48,330 --> 00:10:53,190 VARIOUS VOICES: Tape recorder’s running, right? 138 00:10:53,190 --> 00:10:56,870 -I remember feeling both excited and scared. 139 00:10:56,870 --> 00:10:59,680 -It was just the most exciting thing that ever happened. 140 00:10:59,680 --> 00:11:03,670 -I remember huddling around a very small black-and-white TV screen. 141 00:11:03,670 --> 00:11:07,600 -I was the kid in school with a three-foot Saturn V model rocket. 142 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:12,910 -This was the culmination of what was, to me, literally a life-long effort.