Apollo 11 Mission / 20th CenturyThe Apollo 11 mission; the first manned lunar mission; launched from the Kennedy Space Center; Florida via a Saturn V launch vehicle on July 16; 1969 and safely returned to Earth on July 24; 1969. Aboard were Neil A. Armstrong; commander; Michael Collins; Command Module pilot; and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr.; Lunar Module pilot. During 2?hours of surface exploration; the crew collected 47 pounds of lunar surface material for analysis back on Earth. The recovery operation took place after splash down in the Pacific Ocean. Navy para-rescue men recovered the capsule housing the 3-man Apollo 11 crew. The crew was taken to safety aboard the USS Hornet; where they were quartered in a mobile quarantine facility. Here the astronauts are shown waving as they enter the quarantine facility. With the success of Apollo 11; the national objective to land men on the Moon and return them safely to Earth had been accomplished.Photo; July 24; 1969.