Apollo 11 Saturn V rocket launch, 16th July 1969. This high-speed footage shows retraction of the launch tower's swing arms prior to launch. The restraining arms at the base of the launch pad are also retracted during ignition, and the rocket lifts off. Ice debris from the outside of the super-cooled fuel tanks rains down as the vehicle launches. The Apollo 11 mission was launched from pad 39a at Kennedy Space Centre, Florida, USA, on July 16th 1969, and was the first manned mission to land on the Moon. Crew members were Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin Buzz Aldrin. They returned to Earth and landed in the Pacific Ocean on July 24th. |