Neil Armstrong, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, and Michael Collins began their journey to the moon on July 16, 1969 in the Command Module Columbia and achieved lunar orbit four days later. Armstrong and Aldrin then boarded the Lunar Module Eagle and landed on the moon's surface on July 20. Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface at 9:56 p.m. Houston time.

Michael Collins became the first director of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum in 1971.