225. [Apollo 11] GLOBAL ICONS: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin pose for their official portrait before the first lunar landing NASA, July 1969 Printed 1969. Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA image S-69-31739]. With NASA caption and "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse, numbered "NASA S-69-31739" in red in the top margin (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas). 20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.) Historical context The first explorers of another world—Michael Collins, Command Module Pilot (centre), Neil Armstrong, Commander (left), and Buzz Aldrin, Lunar Module Pilot (right)—will forever remain in history. This iconic pre-mission portrait embodies human ambition, ingenuity, and the collaborative spirit that propelled the Apollo program, as the Apollo 11 crew accomplished what was once thought impossible, inspiring generations to reach for the stars. "It's human nature to stretch, to go, to see, to understand. Exploration is not a choice really, it's an imperative." —Michael Collins While Collins orbited the Moon aboard the command ship Columbia, Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin descended to the lunar surface in the lunar module Eagle. Wearing white Apollo spacesuits adorned with mission patches, their expressions reflect a mixture of determination and pride. Behind them, the Moon serves as a fitting backdrop, highlighting their monumental mission: to land humans on the Moon and return safely to Earth. Literature Moon, Man's Greatest Adventure, Thomas, p. 180