Today, 16th July 2019, marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch.
On the east coast of Australia, it was 23:32 at night.
Like many here who are old enough, I remember watching it on TV with
enormous excitement.
In fact I feel sorry for anyone who was born after the event that didn't
get to witness it.
Certainly in my own lifetime, in order, the day they walked, the day they
landed and the day they launched were the three biggest days in history
that I witnessed.
In all of history it made, for example, Columbus's arrival to the Americas,
pale by comparison.
We got to witness the journey to an entirely different world!
There had been years of build-up to it and it dominated the media.
On previous launches from the Cape, we had grown familiar with the
voice of Jack King at NASA who would give the countdown. His
voice had always been calm, almost robotic-like.
The monumental significance of the Apollo 11 launch was betrayed
in the last ten seconds of the countdown where on several occasions
Jack King's normally mechanical voice became quavering with emotion.
I remember my brother and I shouting at the television, "Go! Go! Go! ..."
as the Saturn V launched.
NBC NEWS TV original full coverage, July 16, 1969 :-
https://youtu.be/fY02SoExbhs
What memories do you have?
