What were you doing when mankind first set foot on the Moon? Nasa wants to know
People across the UK are being urged to share their memories and photographs of the Apollo 11 Moon landing ahead of the historic event’s 50th anniversary in July.
The public are being asked to submit their personal accounts of the occasion, which saw Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin become the first astronauts to walk on the Moon on 21 July, 1969.
Memories are being collected by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the UK Space Agency, which will cu rate and share a selection on 20 July, the day Mr Armstrong and Mr Al dr in landed on the Moon.
“The 1969 Apollo 11 Moon landing was not just a pivotal moment in space exploration, but a defining moment for humanity,” British astro - naut Tim Peake said yesterday.
“Whether you were too young to witness the first footsteps on the Moon, or old enough to see it for yourself, the Moon landing has inspired so many people over the past 50 years.”
People are welcome to upload anything from written accounts of how the moment inspired them, to photographs of families gathered around the TV, and news cuttings.
UK science minister Chris Skidmore said: “Landing on the Moon was unthinkable at the beginning of the 20th century, so when Neil Armstrong heralded the moment as ‘one giant leap for mankind’, those words rightly have echoed through the ages.
“Through our modern industrial strategy, we are backing the UK’S thriving space sector so that the young people inspired by this great event of the past will have opportunities to work in the industry’ s highly skilled, well-paid jobs of the future.”
American space agency Nasa recently launched a similar initiative, asking people to send voice recordings of their memories for an audio series about Apollo 11.
Sue Horne, head of space exploration at the UK Space Agency, said: “As a young child I was, like millions of people around the world, fascinated watching the Apollo 11 Moon landing.
“I remember our headmistress, who disapproved of television, insisted that the school television was on at lunchtime so we could watch the latest news on this historic event.
“The Moon landing was an
inspiration to me and it’s exciting to think that young people today will be part of the next chapter of lunar exploration, with the UK playing an important role.
“I am looking forward to sharing in people’s memories of this iconic moment in space
exploration and hearing how those small steps are still having a huge impact 50 years on.”
People have until 18 June to submit their memories at moonlandingmemories.com.
Nasa has spotted the area where Israel’s failed moon land er crashed on the lunar surface last month, showing the impact of its hard landing.
Non-profit organisation Spaceil sent its Beresheet craft into space in February on board a Space X rocket, with the aim of becoming the first private craft to do so.
The American space agency’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) photographed the site 11 days after the attempted landing on 11 April, on a region of the moon known as the Sea of Serenity, about 56 miles above the surface.
N as a is unable to tell whether Beresheet formed a surface crater upon hitting the moon, but said it was possible a small indent was formed instead. The photo shows a light halo that could be gas associated with the impact or fine soil particles swept up by the lander’s descent.
“There are many clues that we’ re actually looking at a man-made crater instead of a meteoroidcaused one,” the agency said.