The Eagle Has Landed (statue)

Lore & Background

The monument was first proposed by documentary filmmaker Steven Barber and financed by Rocket Mortgage company, which donated it to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The statue was made by George Lundeen, Mark Lundeen, and Joey Bainer in Loveland, Colorado. It was unveiled on July 12, 2019, as part of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission, which marked the first human landing on the Moon on July 20, 1969.

Reader's Guide

The Eagle Has Landed stands as a commemorative work honoring the three Apollo 11 astronauts and the many people who made their spaceflight possible. The monument consists of three bronze statues depicting Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong, and Buzz Aldrin looking upward, wearing Apollo spacesuits painted accurate colors. Collins and Armstrong carry their helmets, while Aldrin holds the flag of the United States. The figures are set atop a concrete pedestal decorated with black stone bricks, featuring a plaque with the inspiration: 'In honor of Apollo 11 crew and the men and women who made their spaceflight possible.' The statue is placed in the Moon Tree Garden, a small park area near the Apollo and Saturn V Center that includes 12 Moon trees planted to commemorate the 12 astronauts who have walked on the Moon. The seeds for these trees were provided by Rosemary Roosa, daughter of Apollo 14 astronaut Stuart Roosa and president and CEO of the non-profit Moon Tree Foundation, created in honor of her father who took tree seeds on his space mission.

Did You Know?

• It was financed by Rocket Mortgage company and donated to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
• The statue was made in Loveland, Colorado, by George Lundeen, Mark Lundeen, and Joey Bainer.