Lunar Module ''Eagle'' (LM-5) is the spacecraft that served as the crewed
lunar lander
A lunar lander or Moon lander is a Lander (spacecraft), spacecraft designed to Moon landing, land on the surface of the Moon. As of 2024, the Apollo Lunar Module is the only lunar lander to have ever been used in human spaceflight, completing s ...
of
Apollo 11
Apollo 11 was a spaceflight conducted from July 16 to 24, 1969, by the United States and launched by NASA. It marked the first time that humans Moon landing, landed on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module pilot Buzz Aldrin l ...
, which was the first mission to
land humans on the
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It Orbit of the Moon, orbits around Earth at Lunar distance, an average distance of (; about 30 times Earth diameter, Earth's diameter). The Moon rotation, rotates, with a rotation period (lunar ...
. It was named after the
bald eagle
The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche ...
, which was featured prominently on
the mission insignia. It flew from Earth to lunar orbit on the
command module ''Columbia'', and then was flown to the Moon on July 20, 1969, by astronaut
Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong (August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012) was an American astronaut and aerospace engineering, aeronautical engineer who, in 1969, became the Apollo 11#Lunar surface operations, first person to walk on the Moon. He was al ...
with navigational assistance from
Buzz Aldrin. ''Eagle''s landing created
Tranquility Base, named by Armstrong and Aldrin and first announced upon the module's touchdown.
The name of the craft gave rise to the phrase "The Eagle has landed", the words Armstrong said upon ''Eagle''s touchdown.
Flight
''Eagle'' was launched with
Command Module ''Columbia'' on July 16, 1969, atop a
Saturn V launch vehicle from
Launch Complex 39A, and entered Earth orbit 12 minutes later.
''Eagle'' entered
lunar orbit on July 19, 1969. On July 20,
Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong (August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012) was an American astronaut and aerospace engineering, aeronautical engineer who, in 1969, became the Apollo 11#Lunar surface operations, first person to walk on the Moon. He was al ...
and
Buzz Aldrin entered into the LM and separated it from
Command Module ''Columbia''.
''Eagle'' was landed at 20:17:40 UTC on July 20, 1969, with of usable fuel remaining.
After the lunar surface operations, Armstrong and Aldrin returned to the Lunar Module ''Eagle'' on July 21, 1969.
At 17:54:00 UTC, they lifted off in ''Eagle'' ascent stage to rejoin
Michael Collins aboard ''Columbia'' in lunar orbit.
After the crew re-boarded ''Columbia'', the ''Eagle'' was abandoned in lunar orbit. The location of its impact on the Moon's surface during an orbit decay is unknown, and there is evidence that ''Eagle'' may still be in orbit.
''Discover'' magazine website, July 2021
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Gallery
File:Apollo 11 Lunar Module prior to extraction (48322617787).jpg, Lunar Module ''Eagle'' prior to extraction from S-IVB stage on July 16, 1969
File:AP11 FINAL APPROACH.ogv, Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong (August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012) was an American astronaut and aerospace engineering, aeronautical engineer who, in 1969, became the Apollo 11#Lunar surface operations, first person to walk on the Moon. He was al ...
and Buzz Aldrin land the Lunar Module ''Eagle'' on the Moon on July 20, 1969.
File:Apollo 11 plaque closeup on Moon.jpg, The plaque left on the ladder of ''Eagle''
File:Apollo 11 50th Anniversary silver dollar reverse.png, Apollo 11 50th Anniversary commemorative silver dollar depicting ''Eagle''
File:Earth, Moon and Lunar Module, AS11-44-6643 c.jpg, Image of ''Eagle'' by Michael Collins from Command Module ''Columbia''
See also
* List of artificial objects on the Moon
This is a partial list of artificial materials left on the Moon, many during the missions of the Apollo program. The table below does not include lesser Apollo mission artificial objects, such as a hammer and other tools, Laser Ranging Retroflect ...
* List of crewed lunar landers
Notes
References
Further reading
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{{Apollo program hardware
Individual space vehicles
Spacecraft launched in 1969
Buzz Aldrin
Neil Armstrong
Crewed spacecraft
Apollo program hardware
Spacecraft launched by Saturn rockets
Spacecraft that orbited the Moon
Apollo 11
Soft landings on the Moon
Lunar modules
1969 on the Moon
Articles containing video clips
