Saturn V launched from Complex 39 of the Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida 53 years ago today. Onboard were astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins.

They reached the Moon four day later, wherein Armstrong became the first person to walk on the lunar surface, followed soon after by Aldrin (Collins remained aboard to pilot the command module Columbia).

The Americans splash landed safely in the North Pacific Ocean on July 24. History was made, and victory in the Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union had been secured.