As the world watched the outcome of Apollo 11, the first attempted lunar landing, employees in the NASA Mission Control Center held their breaths during the entire descent. Everyone anxiously awaited the confirmation of a safe arrival from its Apollo crew.
At approximately 3:18 p.m. (CT) on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong’s famous words were forever ingrained in history: “Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.” (Click here to play audio recording.)
Once word was received from the lunar module, capsule communicator (CAPCOM) Charlie Duke responded to Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. He expressed the feelings of relief and excitement that were felt in Mission Control and around the world: “Roger, Tranquility. We copy you on the ground. You’ve got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We’re breathing again. Thanks a lot.”
This is the facility where NASA monitored nine Gemini and all Apollo lunar missions, including the historic Apollo 11 trip to the Moon and the final Apollo 17 trip to the same lunar body. It is located in Building 30 of NASA Johnson Space Center.
In fact, from this room, the NASA team exercised full mission control of Apollo 11 from launch at the Kennedy Space Center to splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. You can feel the history in the room from the monitors to the rotary dials.
The Gemini and Apollo space programs were only the beginning for mission control; it has been the center for all communications between Earth and our human spaceflight missions. Learn more about the modern Mission Control Center.
To help preserve the space’s original furnishings, bags are not permitted inside Historic Mission Control.
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