The first lunar landing occurred on July 20, 1969, during NASA's Apollo 11 mission. Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot on the Moon, while Michael Collins orbited above in the command module. Armstrong's famous words, "That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind," symbolized not only the culmination of years of space exploration efforts but also the competitive spirit of the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. The achievement represented a significant milestone in human exploration and technology, inspiring generations to dream about possibilities beyond Earth.