40th moon landing anniversary planned

WASHINGTON, March 26 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency says it will have several events and activities to observe the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing that occurred July 20, 1969.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration officials said the anniversary -- "Celebrate Apollo: Exploring the Moon, Discovering Earth" -- will honor the Apollo program, its accomplishments and the benefits to human lives. The effort is designed to engage the public and disseminate information about the space agency's historic, current and future missions, NASA said.

Several items have been developed to aid the celebration, including an Apollo 40th anniversary logo, calendar of events and Web site.

The Apollo 11 mission carried astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin Jr. Armstrong and Aldrin were the first humans to walk on the moon, while Collins orbited above them.

NASA's official Apollo anniversary Web site is located at http://www.nasa.gov/apollo40th.