Moon Landing: 50 years

Overview

Fifty years ago, at 12.56 p.m. on 21 July 1969 (AEST), an estimated 600 million people worldwide watched American astronaut Neil Armstrong become the first person in history to step onto the surface of the Moon: a pivotal moment of the 20^th century. As he alighted from lunar module Eagle, astronaut Neil Armstrong uttered the now immortal words, “That’s one small step for (a) man; one giant leap for mankind”.

Pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin joined Armstrong on the Moon’s surface 20 minutes later. After 21 hours 36 minutes on the lunar surface, astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin returned to the orbiting command module Columbia, piloted by Michael Collins.

Australia played a crucial role in telecasting the historic event to the world via NASA’s Honeysuckle Creek tracking station (ACT) and the Parkes radio telescope (New South Wales). The NASA tracking stations at Carnarvon (Western Australia) and Tidbinbilla (ACT) also supported the mission.

Read more in our Commemorating the Moon Landing article.

Technical specifications

Issue date: 16-July-2019
Issue withdrawal date: 31-January-2020
Denomination: 4 x $1
Stamp design: Gary Domoney, VISUA
Product design: Gary Domoney, VISUA
Paper: gummed: Tullis Russell
Paper: self-adhesive: Securepost MC90
Paper: rolls: Raf Unik
Printer: gummed: RA Printing
Printer: self-adhesive: Multi-Color Corp. Vic
Printing process: Offset lithography
Printing process: rolls: Flexographic
Stamp size (mm): 26 x 37.5
Minisheet size (mm): 135 x 80
Perforations: 14.6 x 13.86
Sheet layout: Modules of 50, printed on silver foil
FDI Postmark: Parkes, NSW 2870
FDI withdrawal date: 14-August-2019

Stamps in this issue

$1 - Apollo 11 lunar module Eagle

The Apollo 11 Lunar Module Eagle was the first crewed vehicle to land on the Moon, carrying astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. The module also carried the Early Apollo Scientific Experiment Package (EASEP), which consisted of several self-contained experiments to be deployed and left on the lunar surface, as well as scientific and sample collection apparatus.

$1 - Parkes Radio Telescope, Parkes NSW

The Parkes radio telescope is situated just outside the town of Parkes, around 380 kilometres from Sydney, New South Wales. It's one of three instruments that make up the Australia Telescope National Facility. It commenced operation in 1961, and in 1969 it was a main receiving station for the Apollo 11 mission to the Moon. The telescope is now 10,000 times more sensitive than when it was commissioned.

$1 - First Moon Walk

Once on the lunar surface, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin unveiled a plaque mounted on a strut behind the ladder of the Eagle and read the following inscription aloud: "Here men from the planet Earth first set foot on the Moon July 1969, A.D. We came in peace for all mankind."

$1 - Telecast via Honeysuckle Creek, ACT

Honeysuckle Creek Tracking Station, just south of Canberra, ACT was established by NASA for the Apollo missions. It received signals from Apollo 11 as Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the lunar surface, and sent them to Houston, USA, for broadcast to the world. The tracking station was eventually demolished, but the site is now heritage listed.