Vice President Mike Pence celebrated the 50th anniversary of the “Apollo 11” mission on Saturday with a speech during a visit to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
During his speech, Pence said that “America will return to the moon in the next five years, and the next man and the first woman will be American astronauts.”
In addition, he noted during the historic occasion of the 50th anniversary, “we have achieved a critical milestone, and that the Nasa Orion crew vehicle for the #Artemis 1 mission is complete and ready to begin preps for its historic first flight “
Vice President Pence also said that President Kennedy summed up the epic effort of “Apollo 111” as “We chose to go to the Moon” and “make no mistakes”. “The moon was a choice, an American election,” he added.
The vice president also toured the launch platform of “Apollo 11”.
At the Space Center, Aldrin showed Vice President Mike Pence the launch pad from where he flew to the moon in 1969. At the same time, half the world, an American and two other astronauts flew into space from Kazakhstan on a Russian rocket.
“We honor these men today, and the United States will always honor our Apollo astronauts,” said Pence. “They are all heroes.”
Outside the visitor complex, the cars were backed by miles. In Wapakoneta, Ohio, where Neil Armstrong was born, riders participated in races called “Run to the Moon.”
In New York City, organizers moved a moon landing party from Times Square to a hotel due to the heat wave. The youngsters joined the former space shuttle astronaut Winston Scott, while a giant screen showed the launch of the Saturn V rocket with the crew of “Apollo 11” in 1969.
On Friday, US President Donald Trump met with the mission astronauts: Buzz Aldrin, Mike Collins and the family of Major Neil Armstrong in the Oval Office.
The White House reiterated its goal of sending astronauts back to the moon and “take the next giant leap: send Americans to Mars.”
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. Armstrong was the first to step out, proclaiming: “That is a small step for man, a great leap for humanity.”
