On this day, July 16, in 1969, a Saturn V rocket — still the most powerful rocket ever built — launched Apollo 11 on its historic journey to take astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins to the Moon — the first two becoming the first humans to ever step foot on another world four days later.
The video above is the original NASA broadcast footage of the Saturn V launch from Kennedy Space Center (look for the shockwave at 1:14!) Below is something even more incredible — a remote camera video from the pad showing the rocket launch close-up, at 500 frames per second!
Check it out:
This is a transfer from the original 16mm film, provided by SpacecraftFilms.com. Executive producer Mark Gray narrates.
Truly the Saturn V was an impressive machine — almost as impressive as the spirit of the over 450,000 people across the country who helped make the Apollo program a success. To this day, 43 years later, it’s one of humanity’s most amazing achievements.
Videos: NASA and Spacecraft Films
Lights in the Dark 
That HD launch video was awesome!
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Yeah a really achievement that this Apollo program !!
But it’s pity that this program didn’t go to its term…
Jeff Barani from Vence (France)
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WOW !!!! The ingenuity and beauty of the almost half-century old engineering is so impressive even today (the thousands of gallons per second washing over the launch pad!). Thanks so much for passing this along. I passed the link by email to a bunch of relatives….
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Reblogged this on coleyartastro and commented:
Forty five years since Apollo 11 – an updated HD Launch.
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