Florida’s Launch Pad 39A and the 9 Minutes That Changed the World in 1969

Kennedy Space Center, Florida

A million spectators gathered around Florida’s Space Coast on July 16, 1969, all eyes fixed on Launch Complex 39A.

At 9:32 a.m., the Saturn V rocket carrying Apollo 11 lifted off in perfect weather conditions, beginning the eight-day mission that would see humans walk on the lunar surface for the first time.

These is how that amazing day went down and how you can see the historic launch pad today.

The Saturn V Arrives

On May 20, 1969, the Saturn V rocket moved from the Vehicle Assembly Building to Launch Complex 39A. The rocket traveled slowly along the 3.5-mile “crawlerway” before reaching its destination.

A special Crawler-Transporter carried the combined rocket and launch platform. This massive vehicle weighed six million pounds and moved at just one mile per hour.

The Saturn V stood 363 feet tall with three rocket stages and the spacecraft on top. The entire stack weighed more than six thousand tons.

Testing the Saturn V

Engineers ran a full countdown test from June 26 to July 2, 1969. They checked every system to ensure the rocket would work properly on launch day.

On July 15, they moved the service tower away from the rocket. This tower had given workers access to the spacecraft before launch.

In the early morning of July 16, teams began adding fuel. They pumped super-cold liquid hydrogen into the rocket’s upper stages in preparation.

Three Men Arrive at the Pad

Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin woke at 4:00 a.m. on launch day. They ate their usual pre-launch breakfast of steak and eggs at the crew quarters.

Technicians helped the astronauts put on their white space suits. The men then rode in an air-conditioned van to Launch Complex 39A.

Around 6:45 a.m., the crew took their seats inside the Command Module Columbia. Armstrong sat on the left as commander, Collins on the right as command module pilot, and Aldrin in the middle as lunar module pilot.

Mission Control Prepares for Launch

Launch controllers worked at the Launch Control Center, three miles from the pad. They watched hundreds of dials and screens during the countdown.

Jack King from NASA served as the “Voice of Apollo” for the worldwide broadcast. His calm voice kept millions of listeners updated as the countdown continued.

Controllers tested the Emergency Detection System with Armstrong. The system would warn the crew if anything went wrong during launch.

Three minutes before launch, computers took over the countdown. Human controllers watched as the final preparations happened automatically.

The World Watches

Over one million people gathered around Kennedy Space Center on launch day. They filled beaches and roads for miles, hoping to witness the historic moment.

About 3,500 reporters from the United States and 55 other countries came to cover the event. Television stations in 33 countries showed the launch live. Approximately 25 million Americans watched on TV, while millions more listened on the radio.

Important guests included Vice President Spiro Agnew and former President Lyndon Johnson. President Nixon watched from the White House.

The Final Countdown

Six minutes before launch, controllers initiated the firing sequence. The automated process that would start the engines began.

The countdown ran smoothly with only minor problems. Teams quickly fixed a bad signal light and a leaky valve without delay.

Eight seconds before liftoff, the five huge F-1 engines at the rocket’s base began firing. These engines needed eight seconds to reach full power.

Launch controllers watched their screens carefully. If the engines failed to power up correctly, they would need to stop the launch immediately.

Liftoff From Pad 39A

Apollo 11 lifted off at exactly 9:32 a.m. on July 16, 1969. The Saturn V rose from Launch Complex 39A, leaving a column of flame and smoke.

The rocket first moved upward three-tenths of a second after ignition. The connection cables fell away six-tenths of a second later.

The five main engines created 7.6 million pounds of thrust. Each engine burned fuel at a rate of 15 tons per second.

Jack King confirmed the successful liftoff. His words marked the start of humanity’s trip to the Moon.

Climbing Through the Atmosphere

The Saturn V cleared the launch tower and turned toward its planned path. This maneuver aimed the spacecraft toward the right orbital position.

The rocket reached its correct angle 13.2 seconds into flight. Its eastward path used Earth’s rotation to save fuel.

Clear skies let viewers track the rocket’s climb for several minutes. The Saturn V left a thick trail of exhaust visible for miles.

As the rocket rose into thinner air, the engines worked more efficiently. Thrust increased to over nine million pounds as the rocket went faster and higher.

First Stage Burn

The first stage burned fuel at 13 tons per second. It carried 203,000 gallons of kerosene and 331,000 gallons of liquid oxygen.

About two minutes into flight, the center engine shut down. This limited the forces on the astronauts as the rocket gained speed.

The other four engines kept firing until almost three minutes into flight. Then, they too shut down as planned.

Explosive charges separated the empty first stage, which fell into the ocean. The second stage engines then fired to continue the journey upward.

Reaching Earth Orbit

The second stage burned for about six and a half minutes. Its five engines pushed the spacecraft faster toward orbital speed.

Nine minutes into flight, the second stage fell away. The third stage engine fired seconds later for the final push to orbit.

Apollo 11 entered orbit about 100 miles above Earth. The spacecraft traveled at over 17,000 miles per hour.

Just twelve minutes after leaving Launch Complex 39A, the crew circled Earth. They would orbit once and a half before firing the engine again to head toward the Moon.

Visiting Launch Complex 39A

The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is located at Space Commerce Way, Merritt Island, FL 32953.

You can view Launch Complex 39A as part of the Kennedy Space Center Bus Tour, included with daily admission. The entire tour takes about 2 hours and includes stops at the Apollo/Saturn V Center.

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