Space Exploration - NASA Records at the National Archives

Star Chart from Apollo 11. View in the National Archives Catalog.

Timeline

50th Anniversary of Apollo XI Moon Landing

On July 20, 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong made one small step that forever changed history. In commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo XI moon landing, view National Archives records that detail the carefully choreographed sequence of steps—from lift-off to splash-down—that resulted in the mission’s “giant leap for mankind."

View Apollo XI records in the National Archives Catalog
Visit the Featured Document Display commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo XI moon landing in the East Rotunda Gallery at the National Archives Museum, July 3 - August 7, 2019

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Photograph of Astronaut Edwin E. (Buzz) Aldrin, Jr. Posing on the Moon Next to the U.S. Flag. National Archives Identifier 593743.

NASA Films at the National Archives

Friendship 7
National Archives Identifier 45021

Close up of the Moon: A Look at Lunar Orbiter
See also "Stepping Stones to the Moon" blog post from the Unwritten Record
National Archives Identifier 1257288

Clip from Moonwalk One, ca. 1970: Space Suit
National Archives Identifier 1257628

Space for Women
National Archives Identifier 1262812

View more films related to Space Exploration on the National Archives YouTube channel.

Citizen Archivist Missions

Help make these records related to Space Exploration more accessible by tagging and transcribing them in the National Archives Catalog. Learn more on the Citizen Archivist Dashboard

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Early Space Exploration

Help tag and transcribe records related to the establishment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the early exploration of space.

Women in Space

Tag details about these photos documenting women's achievement in aviation and space.

Patent Drawings

Transcribe these patent drawings and patent case files related to space travel and aviation.

Space GIFs from our GIPHY Channel

These animated GIFs have been created from NASA records in our holdings. Explore and share more space GIFs on the National Archives GIPHY Channel!

via GIPHY

Additional Resources

Crew of Apollo 8 - A View from Lunar Orbit, 1968, Eyewitness exhibit
Apollo 11 Flight Plan
Records of the John H. Glenn Research Center, (formerly the Lewis Research Center), Cleveland, Ohio
Space Exploration, resources at NARA and beyond, compiled by the Archives Library Information Center (ALIC)