Over the years, Alabama has been the first state responsible for doing many great things. In fact, it was the first state to declare Christmas a legal holiday and the first state in America to celebrate Mardi Gras. Even though those are great accomplishments, the one thing that Alabama did that truly stands out from the rest is design and build the first rocket that sent the first Americans to the moon. To learn all about this important piece of space history, take a look below.
The rocket that sent the first Americans to the moon was designed and built at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Here is the Apollo 11 Saturn V lifting off with astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr. at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Thanks to the Apollo 11 program, and Alabama, the first man to ever set foot on the moon was an American named Neil Armstrong. This took place on July 20, 1969.
Today, you can learn all about Alabama's unique space history at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. Thousands of people from all over the world visit here each year to do so.
U.S. Space & Rocket Center, 1 Tranquility Base, Huntsville, AL 35805, USA
The next time you're in Huntsville, Alabama, consider a visit to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. You'll learn all about the rocket that sent the first Americans to the moon, in addition to many other things. You can also tour the nearby Marshall Space Flight Center.
For more information about the U.S. Space & Rocket Center, including hours, you can view the U.S. Space & Rocket Center website. To learn about Huntsville's Marshall Space Flight Center, you can view the NASA website.
Did you already know about Alabama’s space history? Let us know in the comments below.