Honoring America and our nation’s past and future in space, Buzz Aldrin Ventures is proud to share footage of the Apollo XI 50th Anniversary Gala at the Ronald Reagan Library. This remarkable celebration, attended by countless astronauts, performers, and Apollo pioneers, including Apollo XI’s Buzz Aldrin, celebrated America’s first moon landing – in July 1969.
The epic 50th anniversary event took stock of this breathtaking American achievement – one of the most remarkable feats in Mankind’s long history. Inspirational lessons, music and reflections filled the dining space beneath Ronald Reagan’s Air Force One.
50 years ago, the first moon landing was seminal, accelerating an end to the Cold War, inspiring Mankind. As Neil noted, it was truly “One small step for Man, but One Giant Leap for Mankind,” and as Buzz described, the moon was a destination characterized by “Magnificent Desolation.”
“The Apollo 11 mission was many things to many people. To me, it was the dream we had all signed up to chase, what we had imagined, worked and trained for, the apex of service, aviation and exploration … Apollo 11 was a dream-come-true, for all of us. A launch so smooth we had to look at dials to confirm we were off; extraordinary journey made possible by tens of thousands of extraordinary patriots. Apollo showed that this nation, America, can do whatever is required. When destiny calls us, we step up. It was an honor to be a part of Apollo – that was how I felt in 1969, how I still feel. This is a blessed nation. I hope we never forget how lucky we are to be Americans,” said Dr. Buzz Aldrin, Apollo XI Lunar Module Pilot, USAF Colonel and Moonwalker.
Notably, the Gala highlighted both this history-changing moon landing, and the patriotic trailblazers who made America’s daring moon missions possible. This event, held in a place that remembers another great American, Ronald Reagan, reminds the world of what happens when a unified, democratic, free people are inspired to achieve nearly impossible goals. Buzz Aldrin and others remain committed now to human spaceflight; the event supported Buzz Aldrin’s Human Spaceflight Institute (HSI).
Watch the entire event here.
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