July 2024 marks the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. On July 20, 1969, Commander Neil Armstrong and Astronaut Buzz Aldrin landed the Apollo lunar module, Eagle, and spent the next 21.5 hours on the lunar surface, while Command Module Pilot Michael Collins orbited the Moon. 

Approximately seven hours after Eagle touched down on the lunar surface, Armstrong became the first human to step onto the Moon. The moment was forever memorialized by Armstrong’s words: “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” This marked the Apollo 11 mission as the single greatest moment of human space exploration.

At the same time, Soviet powers were attempting to land their own unmanned probe, Luna 15. A tense moment in the race to the Moon, the scientist at Jodrell Bank kept their attentions on both crafts, witnessing the Eagle Lander touching down and the crash of Luna 15.

During this contentious period Lovell created an audio record of the events, excerpts of which can be listened to HERE.

Made over three days in mid-July, Sir Bernard Lovell can be heard narrating events. Transmissions from the Apollo 11 astronauts can also be heard in the background. Sir Bernard notes a change in the orbit of Luna 15 to take it closer to the US landing site and later reports a rumour from a ‘well-informed source in Moscow’ that the craft is about to land.

People in the Control Room can then be heard exclaiming ‘it’s landing’ and ‘it’s going down much too fast’ as they track Luna 15’s final moments before it crashes.

A voice is later heard saying: “I say, this has really been drama of the highest order.”

A monumental moment in the timeline of human progress and another example of the key role Jodrell Bank has played in the course of major global events.