Borrego Sun - Since 1949

Apollo 11 50th Anniversary at the Library

 

Last updated 8/7/2019 at 1:41pm

Michael Sadler

Jerreth Lopez stands next to the Apollo 11 scale model showing 2-stage Saturn rocket and re-entry capsule, plus the lunar lander and astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Lopez assembled this display for the 50th anniversary celebration at the library. Insert shows fully assembled rocket.

Anyone over 60 probably remembers where they were on July 20, 1969, the day Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon.

The Borrego Springs Library celebrated the 50th anniversary with a film that described everything that happened, minute-by-minute, from pre-launch prep to blastoff to Armstrong and Aldrin stepping onto the Moon's surface to global reactions in real-time to the astronauts splashing down.

The drama of the live event, presented worldwide on YouTube in 2019, was exhilarating even after all these years.

On display were scale models of the Saturn rocket, the capsule, and the lunar lander. Folks also had the opportunity to write down where they were and their experience at the time of the lunar landing.

After the film, rare black and white footage of the landing was shown, covering details and conversations not previously made public.

A theme cake, made by Marina from Kesling's Kitchen, along with the beverage throw-back to those astronaut years, Tang, was enjoyed by all.