Fifty-one years ago this week, America accomplished a momentous feat that had long been considered to be unachievable – human beings landed on the Moon. On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin set foot on the lunar surface and proudly planted the American flag for the world to see. Armstrong and Aldrin spent just short of one day on the Moon before rejoining Apollo XI mission teammate Michael Collins in orbit around the Moon to head back to Earth. Apollo XI represents one of America’s shining moments, a watershed accomplishment of the 20thCentury, and continues to stand as one of the most important scientific and technological achievements in human history.
And while the success of Apollo XI – as well as multiple other NASA missions and milestones in the U.S. program – still resonates with tens of millions of people around the world today, often overlooked is the role of the private sector in helping make these incredible feats a reality. In fact, in remembering Apollo XI, we have an opportunity to recognize the critically important and inspiring role the private sector played in helping to put Americans on the Moon, as well as in helping build America’s space program.
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