Destination Lune (Broquet)

Fifty years ago, millions of people around the world crowded excitedly in front of television sets to witness the first step of a human being on the Moon.

Not only was reaching the Moon incredible, but what was even more incredible was that Earthlings could follow this journey with their own eyes. Since Neil Armstrong’s “giant leap for humanity”, the human species has matured in its perception of the solar system but, in 1969, it was still a space rich in mysteries and unknown dangers. Those who watched Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walk the surface of the Moon had been fed entertainment fictions, which included space invaders and the little green men of Mars; in addition, for the youngest, this outing could even give rise to an extra-terrestrial encounter.

For most people, it was the most important event of their lives and, also, a privilege to witness it thanks to the first satellite dishes. Since then, 10 other astronauts have joined the exclusive club headlined by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin by walking on the Moon, but none of these feats has been as well documented and significant as the first.

Technical Specifications

Writer : Peter Murray

Category : Astronomy

Language : French