JFK library marks 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 moon landing

BOSTON (AP) — The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston has received a $1.5 million gift from Raytheon to help commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Kennedy famously challenged the nation in 1961 to land a man on the moon by the end of that decade. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took the first steps on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969.

The JFK library plans a yearlong celebration of the Apollo program, featuring a “virtual replica” of the Saturn V rocket and a downloadable app for users to experience their own missions through augmented reality.

Several events also are scheduled for “Space Day” on July 20.

Waltham-based Raytheon Co. worked with MIT scientists and NASA to build the onboard navigational computers for Apollo missions.