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In 1969, Apollo 11 successfully completed America's mission to the moon. Neil Armstrong became the first person to step onto the lunar surface, declaring it a giant leap for mankind. Buzz Aldrin joined him, and they spent hours exploring and collecting samples. This mission fulfilled President Kennedy's goal and represented a victory in the space race. It also led to collaboration between the United States and the Soviet Union, signaling a thaw in the Cold War. In July of 1969, Commander Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Edwin Buzz Aldrin successfully completed America's goal of a mission to the moon. On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 was launched from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida via a Saturn V rocket, the most powerful rocket at the time. On July 20, the men would make it to the moon, and the first moonwalk in human history would happen with Neil Armstrong becoming the first person to step onto the lunar surface. This is the time where he would famously declare, one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind. Buzz Aldrin would join him shortly thereafter, and they spent a couple of hours walking around the moon, experimenting, taking photographs, and collecting samples. The success of this mission fulfilled President John F. Kennedy's pledge to land a man on the moon and return him safely to Earth at the end of the decade. This would go on to represent a major victory in the space race with the Soviet Union, and it also sparked enormous interest in space exploration from here on out. Following the success of this mission, the Soviets would actually acknowledge the success of the United States, and beginning in the 1970s and the 80s, they would begin to collaborate on missions as well. This could also be seen as the beginning to the end of the Cold War. At the time, while the Cold War would continue to push on, the United States and the Soviets would begin to once again collaborate here.