Who Was the First Person to Walk on the Moon?
In short: The first person to walk on the Moon was American astronaut Neil Armstrong. On the Apollo 11 mission he stepped onto the Sea of Tranquility on 20 July 1969 (21 July 02:56 UTC), saying “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” Buzz Aldrin followed about 20 minutes later, while Michael Collins stayed in lunar orbit aboard Columbia.
Apollo 11 timeline
| Date (UTC) | Event |
|---|---|
| 16 July 1969 | Launch on a Saturn V from Kennedy Space Center |
| 20 July 1969, 20:17 | Lunar module Eagle lands |
| 21 July 1969, 02:56 | Armstrong’s first step |
| 24 July 1969 | Splashdown in the Pacific |
The 12 Moonwalkers
| Mission | Date | Astronauts |
|---|---|---|
| Apollo 11 | Jul 1969 | Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin |
| Apollo 12 | Nov 1969 | Pete Conrad, Alan Bean |
| Apollo 14 | Feb 1971 | Alan Shepard, Edgar Mitchell |
| Apollo 15 | Jul–Aug 1971 | David Scott, James Irwin |
| Apollo 16 | Apr 1972 | John Young, Charles Duke |
| Apollo 17 | Dec 1972 | Eugene Cernan, Harrison Schmitt |
Neil Armstrong was born on 5 August 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio, served as a naval aviator in the Korean War, studied aeronautical engineering at Purdue and died on 25 August 2012.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the first person on the Moon?
Neil Armstrong, commander of Apollo 11, on 20 July 1969 (21 July UTC).
Who was the second person on the Moon?
Buzz Aldrin, about 20 minutes after Armstrong.
How many people have walked on the Moon?
Twelve astronauts, all American, on six Apollo missions between 1969 and 1972.
Who was the last person on the Moon?
Eugene Cernan, Apollo 17, December 1972.
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