PRINTER'S NO. 2984
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
630
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY WARREN, CIRESI, KULIK, GROVE, DONATUCCI, SONNEY,
GREINER, KORTZ, SCHLOSSBERG, BIZZARRO, DiGIROLAMO, BURNS,
HILL-EVANS, MILLARD, KINSEY, ZABEL, READSHAW, RYAN, VITALI,
CALTAGIRONE, YOUNGBLOOD, SAMUELSON, LONGIETTI, BERNSTINE,
WILLIAMS, MENTZER, McCARTER, KAUFER, RAPP, COX, MALAGARI,
McCLINTON, MARKOSEK, DeLUCA, HEFFLEY, FREEMAN, JOHNSON-
HARRELL AND GILLEN, DECEMBER 6, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, DECEMBER 6, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar
landing mission on July 20, 2019.
WHEREAS, Following the Soviet Union's successful launch of
Sputnik in 1957, the great Space Race between the United States
and the Soviet Union effectively began, fueling the rivalry
throughout the Cold War; and
WHEREAS, During a special joint session of Congress in 1961,
President John F. Kennedy boldly announced that "this nation
should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade
is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to
Earth"; and
WHEREAS, Five years following President John F. Kennedy's
declaration, the first unmanned Apollo mission was conducted by
the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) with
the expertise and knowledge of an international team of
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scientists and engineers; and
WHEREAS, Consequently, after the first successful unmanned
Apollo mission, the first manned launch pad test was conducted
at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Tragedy
struck on that day as a fire broke out as a result of the
launch, and three astronauts' lives were lost on January 27,
1967; and
WHEREAS, Despite the loss, NASA forged ahead, successfully
orbiting Earth and traveling around the dark side of the moon in
two different manned missions in 1968; and
WHEREAS, Just months prior to the Apollo 11 mission, Apollo 9
and Apollo 10 successfully tested the lunar module of the
spacecraft in Earth's orbit and completed a full lunar orbit
with three astronauts on board; and
WHEREAS, On July 16, 1969, the world watched the Apollo 11
spacecraft make history, traveling 240,000 miles in 76 hours,
entering lunar orbit three days after its initial launch; and
WHEREAS, Upon landing on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969,
Neil Armstrong, a former military pilot, became the first human
to walk the lunar surface, famously speaking the words, "that's
one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"; and
WHEREAS, Shortly after Neil Armstrong's trailblazing steps,
Buzz Aldrin, a former fighter pilot in the Korean War, joined
Armstrong on the moon's surface where an American flag was
planted while the two men corresponded with President Richard
Nixon; and
WHEREAS, The two astronauts began the journey back to Earth
on July 22, 1969, safely landing in the Pacific Ocean about 900
miles from Hawaii on July 24, 1969; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commemorate the
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50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission on July
20, 1969; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize those
who contributed to the successful operation.
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