Legendary NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong's spacesuit will be placed on display at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum this summer.
The exhibit will be part of a five-day celebration of the 50th anniversary of the first Moon landing from July 16 to July 20. This will be the first time Armstrong's spacesuit will be displayed for public viewing again in 13 years.
The museum also announced several commemorative and educational activities that will take place all throughout the week.
The First Man On The Moon
Armstrong earned his place in history by becoming part of Apollo 11, the first manned mission to the Moon in 1969. He was joined by fellow NASA astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.
Both Armstrong and Aldrin made it to the surface of the Moon aboard the Lunar Module on July 20, 1969. Meanwhile, Collins stayed in orbit in the command and service module.
History was made when Armstrong became the first man to ever step foot on the Moon, uttering the now-famous words, "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind."
The astronauts went on to conduct a series of test while on the lunar surface and collected some space rock for analysis back on Earth. They also placed a flag of the United States on the Moon.
By being the first country to send people to the Moon, the United States effectively "won" the space race against the Soviets, according to some historians.
The achievement also served as a huge public relation boost for Americans since the event was broadcasted to millions of people across the world through the help of television. This contributed to Armstrong and his crewmates' enduring popularity as icons of space exploration.
The 50th Anniversary Of The Moon Landing
In 2015, a Kickstarter campaign successfully collected enough funds through public donations to have Armstrong's spacesuit properly preserved.
The National Air and Space Museum will place the fragile astronaut suit in a state-of-the-art display case while it is on exhibit. It will be displayed right next to the Wright brothers' 1903 Flyer until the museum completes building the "Destination Moon" exhibition, which will serve as the suit's future home. Construction is expected to finish by 2022.
The museum will also launch its "Discover the Moon Day!" program, where visitors can take part in educational and fun-filled activities centered on the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing. They can get a chance to chat with museum scientists to learn more about Moon exploration and research.
Fans will be able to view 3D images of the Moon and many high-resolution photographs taken using NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter.
The National Air and Space Museum will set up a simulation of the Moon landing that will allow visitors to retrace the steps of Armstrong and his crew. They will be able to visit different stations along a route that recreates the distances the Apollo astronauts walked during the mission.
Smithsonian Channel Programming
The Smithsonian Channel will broadcast several programming in the lead up to the Moon landing anniversary.
One of the shows lined up is Apollo's Moon Shot, which will document the entirety of the U.S.'s Moon program throughout the years. Viewers will be able to see rare, newly restored film from NASA's archives and some artifacts from the Apollo program.
The six-hour TV series will also include photographs taken by former NASA astronaut and U.S. senator John Glenn, as well as images of the Apollo 11 command module and the very last space boots used on the Moon, which is still covered in lunar dust.
Apollo's Moon Shot details the stories behind the men and women of NASA who helped make the mission to the Moon happen.
