On 20 July 1969, Neil Armstrong opened the hatch of the lunar module Eagle and stepped onto the surface of the moon for the very first time.
Followed shortly afterwards by Buzz Aldrin, the pair became the first humans to venture onto planet Earth's only natural satellite. The third astronaut, Michael Collins, sat in orbit in the Columbia command module.
On the 45<sup>th anniversary of the first moonwalk, IBTimes UK looks at the Apollo 11 mission in pictures.
This May 1969 file photo shows the astronaut crew of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission. Left to right, Neil Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, command module pilot; and Edwin 'Buzz' Aldrin, lunar moduleNasa/Getty16 July 1969: Apollo 11 is launched, carrying Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin to the moon.Nasa16 July 1969: US Vice-President Spiro Agnew and former US President Lyndon B Johnson are seen in a crowd watching the lift-off of the Apollo 11 mission at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.AFPEarth as seen by Apollo 11 astronauts at the beginning of the third day.NasaNeil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin begin their descent to the moon's surface in the Lunar Module, Eagle.NasaNeil Armstrong descends the ladder of the Apollo Lunar Module to become the first human to step foot on the surface of the moon.Nasa20 July 1969: Buzz Aldrin, lunar module pilot, descends the steps of the Lunar Module ladder as he prepares to walk on the moon. This photograph was taken by Apollo 11 commander astronaut Neil Armstrong.Nasa20 July 1969: Buzz Aldrin walks on the surface of the moon. Neil Armstrong, taking the photo, is reflected in his visor.Nasa20 July 1969: A close-up view of an astronaut's foot and foot print in the lunar soil.Nasa20 July 1969: Apollo 11 Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin's bootprint. Aldrin photographed this bootprint about an hour into their lunar extra-vehicular activity, as part of investigations into the soil mechanics of the lunar surface.NasaBuzz Aldrin carries experiments for deployment on the moon.NasaOne of the few photographs of Neil Armstrong on the moon shows him working on his space craft on the lunar surface.Nasa20 July 1969: Buzz Aldrin salutes the deployed United States flag during an Apollo 11 Extravehicular Activity (EVA) on the lunar surface.NasaWith a half-Earth in the background, the Lunar Module ascent stage with Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin Jr aboard approaches for a rendezvous with the Apollo Command Module, manned by Michael Collins.Nasa24 July 1969: The Apollo 11 astronauts are disinfected after getting into the life raft during recovery operations.Nasa24 July 1969: US President Richard M Nixon welcomes the Apollo 11 astronauts aboard the USS Hornet. Already confined to the Mobile Quarantine Facility are (left to right) Neil Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, command module pilot and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot.Nasa24 July 1969: Nasa and Manned Spacecraft Center officials join the flight controllers in celebrating the conclusion of the Apollo 11 mission.AFP13 August 1969: Ticker-tape parade for the Apollo 11 astronauts in New York City on the section of Broadway known as the Canyon of Heroes.Nasa
