Who made the first telephone call to talk to astronauts on the moon?
When astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong became the first humans to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969, then-President Richard Nixon became the first human to call the moon from a landline phone.
President Nixon spoke from the Oval Office (shortly before midnight on July 20, Eastern Daylight Time) to Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin at the Sea of Tranquility on the Moon. The call was coordinated from Mission Control in Houston. The President was introduced by the capsule communicator (normally the only person to communicate with astronauts in flight), astronaut Bruce McCandless II.
Nixon: Hello, Neil and Buzz. I'm talking to you by telephone from the Oval Room at the White House. And this certainly has to be the most historic telephone call ever made. I just can't tell you how proud we all are of what you've done. For every American, this has to be the proudest day of our lives. And for people all over the world, I am sure they too join with Americans in recognizing what an immense feat this is. Because of what you have done, the heavens have become a part of man's world. And as you talk to us from the Sea of Tranquility, it inspires us to redouble our efforts to bring peace and tranquility to Earth. For one priceless moment in the whole history of man, all the people on this Earth are truly one: one in their pride in what you have done, and one in our prayers that you will return safely to Earth.
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