Forty-nine years ago today, humans first set foot on a world beyond Earth — and by the time the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing rolls around, a year from now, there’s likely to be more moon milestones to celebrate.
Today NASA’s myriad Twitter accounts are buzzing with #NationalMoonDay shout-outs, and the space agency’s website is filled with links to Apollo 11 lore.
You can bet next year’s #Apollo50 observances will take on a far higher profile. Even Seattle’s Museum of Flight is getting in on the action: Apollo 11 artifacts on loan from the Smithsonian, including the Columbia command module, will be on display starting next April and running through the 50th anniversary.
But the year ahead isn’t just about past glories: We’re due to see a ramping-up of missions to the moon, in part because of the Trump administration’s initiative aimed at lunar exploration and settlement.
