Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 spacesuit is back at the Smithsonian after 13 years

Exactly 50 years to the day when Apollo 11 was launched into space, Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit, the one that he wore on that momentous occasion, went up on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
The suit was unveiled with the help of Rick Armstrong, Neil Armstrong’s son, alongside Mike Pence, U.S. Vice President. The Vice President recalled the time of the moon landing, and how the nation was actually divided regarding the attempt. Of course, when the moon landing was a success, the entire nation came together with pride, and celebrated the “one small step for man.”

Pence said, in his statement, that Apollo 11 is the only event of the 20th century that has a chance of being remembered even in the 30th century. He further said that July 20, 1969, would be forever etched in the minds of men and women here on the Earth, across the solar system, and even beyond.

Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 spacesuit was actually on display at the Smithsonian earlier, but was taken down in 2006 due to its deteriorating condition. It went through extensive conservation work for the last 13 years, and has now finally returned here on its 50th anniversary.

The one thing missing from the Apollo 11 attire is the boots worn by astronauts, as they were left behind on the moon due to weight concerns. However, the Smithsonian displays boots worn on Apollo 17 exploration, which were brought back to the Earth.