NEW YORK (AP) — NEW YORK (AP) — When Neil Armstrong and his fellow astronauts reached the moon more than four decades ago, the historic event was reported by The Associated Press with a flash — the AP's top-level news alert. It read:
ASTRONAUTS LAND ON MOON
That initial burst was eventually followed by a comprehensive story carrying the byline of John Barbour. The first several paragraphs:
SPACE CENTER, Houston (AP) — Man landed and walked on the moon Sunday, July 20, 1969.
Two Americans, Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., 240,000 miles from their home on the planet Earth, settled to a dusty landing on the moon's alien soil at 4:18 p.m. (EDT) and some six hours later Armstrong made the first footprint on that stranger globe.
In a bulky suit that gave him the life-sustaining environment of his planet, Armstrong climbed laboriously down the nine steps on a ladder at the side of his spaceship.
Aldrin, his companion on this trek of history, waited inside the ship Eagle to watch Armstrong's progress before venturing down himself.
They had been impatient to be out — to complete man's ancient dream. They asked and received permission to make their walk early ...