The **Apollo 11 mission**, the first crewed lunar landing, unfolded as follows:

1. **Launch**: On **July 16, 1969**, NASA's Saturn V rocket launched from Kennedy Space Center, carrying astronauts **Neil Armstrong**, **Buzz Aldrin**, and **Michael Collins** into space.  
2. **Trans-Lunar Injection**: Two days later, the spacecraft entered a trajectory toward the Moon after a key engine burn.  
3. **Lunar Module Descent**: On **July 20**, Armstrong and Aldrin descended to the Moon's surface in the **Eagle** lunar module, while Collins remained in the **Columbia** command module in lunar orbit.  
4. **Moon Landing**: Amid alarms and a computer error, the Eagle safely landed in the **Sea of Tranquility** at 20:17 UTC. Armstrong became the first human to step onto the Moon, declaring, *"That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind."* Aldrin joined him shortly after.  
5. **Surface Activities**: The pair spent 2.5 hours collecting 47.5 pounds of lunar samples, deploying experiments, and planting the U.S. flag.  
6. **Return to Columbia**: After ascending from the Moon, Armstrong and Aldrin re-docked with Collins.  
7. **Return to Earth**: On **July 21**, the crew began their journey back to Earth, splashing down in the **Pacific Ocean** on **July 24**.  
8. **Recovery**: The astronauts were recovered by the USS Hornet and placed in quarantine to prevent potential lunar contamination.  

**Legacy**: Apollo 11 marked a pivotal moment in the **Space Race**, showcasing U.S. technological prowess during the Cold War. It remains a symbol of human achievement and scientific exploration. All three astronauts survived the mission, with Armstrong and Aldrin later becoming iconic figures in space history.