Adjacent to the Kennedy Space Center thousands of spectators camped out on beaches and roads to watch the launch of Apollo 11, which launched at 9:32 a.m. Eastern on July 16, 1969. The launch of Apollo 11 was the culmination of 8 years of hard work by thousands of scientists and technicians. Four days later, Apollo 11 commander Neil Armstrong stepped out of the lunar module and took ”one small step” in the Sea of Tranquility, calling it ”a giant leap for mankind.”