**Apollo 11 Mission Summary**

The Apollo 11 mission, a historic undertaking by NASA, marked the first time humans visited the Moon. Here are the key events in chronological order:

1. **Launch**: On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins aboard the spacecraft.

2. **Journey to the Moon**: The spacecraft traveled through space for approximately three days before entering lunar orbit.

3. **Lunar Orbit and Descent**:
   - On July 20, Armstrong and Aldrin boarded the lunar module "Eagle," separating from the command module "Columbia" where Collins remained.
   - The Eagle landed on the Moon's surface in the Sea of Tranquility. Armstrong's iconic message, "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed," confirmed the landing.

4. **First Moonwalk**:
   - Neil Armstrong became the first person to step onto the Moon on July 20, famously declaring, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
   - Armstrong and Aldrin spent about two and a half hours on the Moon's surface, collecting samples and conducting experiments.

5. **Return to Lunar Orbit**:
   - After their moonwalk, Armstrong and Aldrin returned to the Eagle, lifted off, and rendezvoused with Collins in the Columbia command module.

6. **Journey Back to Earth**:
   - The astronauts successfully re-entered Earth's atmosphere and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969.
   - They were recovered by the USS Hornet, marking the end of their historic mission.

Apollo 11 was a landmark achievement, showcasing human ingenuity and determination, and paving the way for future space exploration.