NASA is marking the accomplishments of Apollo 11 this year with thoughts focused once again on the moon. The Vision for Space Exploration calls for NASA to lead the return to the lunar surface and to fantastic points beyond.

Astronaut Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot, poses for a photograph beside the deployed United States flag during Apollo 11 extravehicular activity on the lunar surface. The Lunar Module "Eagle" is on the left. The footprints of the astronauts are clearly visible in the soil of the moon. This picture was taken by Astronaut Neil A. Armstrong, commander, with a 70mm lunar surface camera.

Around the country today, members of the NASA family plan a variety of activities to remember the determination and ingenuity that put Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins into the history books.

In Washington, NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe will name NASA's first generation of astronauts and former CBS News anchor Walter Cronkite "Ambassadors of Exploration." They will receive awards during a special ceremony, live on NASA Television, Tuesday night in Washington.

NASA's Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, will host Armstrong and Administrator O'Keefe during a "NASA Update" speech to employees, which will be broadcast live on NASA Television.

At NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, home to the Mission Control Center that planned and directed the lunar landing, employees will be taken back in time, with a classic car parade and a local "oldies" station on site broadcasting songs from 1969. Employees will get to see "moon rocks" and geological samples of the lunar surface, and enjoy Moon Pies and ice cream. For more information, contact the Johnson Newsroom at 281/483 5111.

NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala., will be showing its employees a movie called "Thunder in Huntsville," which tells about the propulsion work done at Marshall during the early days of human space flight. More information is available by calling 256/544-0034.

Many former employees who worked on the Apollo 11 mission have been visiting NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla., to speak with employees and visitors. Guests include moon-walking astronauts Charlie Duke and Gene Cernan. KSC's press site can provide more information on 321/867-2468.

Visitors to the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi will get to witness a "Moon Tree" planting. A Sycamore seedling descended from seeds that traveled to the moon aboard Apollo 14, as part of astronaut Stuart Roosa's personal belongings, will be planted. The center is also opening a new exhibit honoring Apollo 11 and the Vision for Space Exploration, which will feature a moon rock and Apollo spacesuits. For more information, contact the Stennis Newsroom at 228/688-3341.

At the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md., today visitors will see historic video from the Apollo 11 moon landing, projected onto large screens, and will hear a geophysicist talk about the history and future of lunar exploration. After sunset, the Goddard Astronomy Club will have telescopes set up outside for visitors to look at the moon and the stars. For more information, call 301/286-9041.

A multimedia look back at the Apollo 11 mission, including video, a photo gallery and feature stories from around the agency is available on the Internet at:

http://www.nasa.gov

NASA Television has delved into the archives to rebroadcast highlights from the historic mission, as well as interviews with the Apollo 11 crew, former CBS anchor Walter Cronkite, and other notable names from the era.

NASA Television is available on AMC-9, transponder 9C, C-Band, at 85 degrees west longitude. The frequency is 3880.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical. Audio is monaural at 6.80 MHz.

The NASA Update from Glenn Research Center and the special evening ceremony in Washington will also be webcast live. For more information about NASA TV and the webcast, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

Related Links

• Apollo 11 Photo Gallery