The Apollo 11 mission marked a monumental achievement in 1969 as it was the first manned moon landing. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969. Armstrong's famous words, "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind," symbolized not only a remarkable feat in space exploration but also represented a significant victory in the Space Race against the Soviet Union.