In fact, the astronauts realised with just over three minutes to go that they were not on target to land where they wanted to. By comparing flight time with landmarks on the Moon, Mr Armstrong and Mr Aldrin could tell they were going to miss their landing site. In extraordinary audio recordings from inside the lunar module played on the BBC documentary-drama ‘8 days: To the Moon and Back’, the conversation about this can be heard.
One astronaut said to the other: “We went by the three minute early”, meaning they passed a landmark on the Moon before they were supposed to.
They radioed down to NASA headquarters in Houston, Texas: “Our position checks down range show us to be a little long.”
Their voices are very calm, despite the huge pressure they were under.
Not long after, they experienced another worry when a programme alarm went off that was identified as a computer overload.
READ MORE: Moon landing: Radio went dead when Apollo 11 was on dark side of Moon
Mission Control concluded that it was still able to function, but not long after it was followed by a second similar alarm.
The spacecraft was also running out of fuel and at one point Mr Armstrong had 60 seconds to land the plane or abort the whole mission.
Despite all this, the two astronauts safely landed on the moon and one uttered the words: “The eagle has landed.”
Mr Armstrong, the Commander, was the first to step foot on the lunar surface.
After they rejoined Mr Collins, the three astronauts headed back to Earth and concluded their journey by parachuting into the ocean.
They were greeted as heroes back on Earth and travelled the world met by rapturous fans everywhere they went.
The 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission was last month – July 20 marked exactly a half-century since that first Moon landing.
Both Mr Aldrin and Mr Collins were able to celebrate the event, but sadly Mr Armstrong died in 2012 aged 82.
At the time, Mr Aldrin made a heartbreaking statement admitting he was disappointed they would not be able to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their incredible achievement together.
He wrote: “I am deeply saddened by the passing of my good friend, and space exploration companion, Neil Armstrong today.”
He added: “I had truly hoped that on July 20, 2019, Neil, Mike and I would be standing together to commemorate the 50th anniversary of our Moon landing, as we also anticipated the continued expansion of humanity into space, that our small mission helped make possible.
“Regrettably, this is not to be. Neil will most certainly be there with us in spirit.”
