Sylvie Willis
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong, along with fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin, landed on the Moon with about 15 seconds of fuel left in the tank. This information was based on calculations and information onboard, as Aldrin recalled in an interview. Armstrong had taken manual control of the lunar module, carefully steering the craft down while searching for a safe landing spot. The landing was a success, despite the low fuel levels, and Armstrong's quick thinking and expertise helped ensure a safe touchdown on the Moon's surface.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Fuel left when the fuel light blinked on | 60 seconds |
| Fuel left when the module touched down | 15 seconds |
| Fuel left when training | Fewer than 15 seconds |
| Fuel left when the gauge said empty | 1-2 gallons |
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What You'll Learn
The Eagle's tank was nearly dry
The Eagle dropped 90 feet over the next 30 seconds, leaving the crew with a further half-minute of fuel to navigate the final 10 feet to the lunar surface. Armstrong had taken control of the lunar module and was carefully steering the craft down. He was searching for a suitable landing spot, as he had trained for, and he made the best of what he had. The LM was never at risk of not being able to take off again.
The astronauts had already had to contend with program alarms going off in the module, which could have forced the mission to abort. The glitch was eventually resolved, but it was a distraction. Then, as the landing area still hadn't been located, Mission Control became concerned that the LM was running low on fuel. On landing, Aldrin and Armstrong believed they had just 15 seconds of fuel left.
However, Armstrong downplayed the idea that he was concerned about the fuel tank running dry. He reportedly said, "Well, young man, everyone knows that when the fuel gauge says empty, there's always a gallon or two left at the bottom of the tank." Post-mission analysis showed that at touchdown, there were 45 to 50 seconds of propellant burn time left.
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15 seconds of fuel left
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong, a naval aviator, test pilot, and American astronaut, became the first person to walk on the moon. This event is arguably the greatest technological achievement in human history. Armstrong was the commander of the Apollo 11 mission, and his crewmates were Michael Collins, the pilot of the command module, and Buzz Aldrin, the lunar module pilot.
As the Apollo 11 lunar module, known as "the Eagle," descended towards the moon's surface, a fuel light blinked on. The Eagle's tank was nearly dry, with only about 60 seconds of fuel left. Armstrong, who had taken control of the lunar module from an altitude of about 500 feet, carefully steered the craft away from a large crater that could have spelled disaster for the mission.
With time running out, Aldrin recalls thinking, "We'd better ease down, but I don't want to disturb Neil by saying: 'Hurry up, hurry up!'"" The Eagle dropped 90 feet over the next 30 seconds, leaving the crew with a further 30 seconds of fuel to navigate the final 10 feet to the lunar surface. It was a nerve-wracking moment for the astronauts, as running out of fuel this close to the lunar surface would likely have doomed them.
In an interview, Aldrin recalled that they probably had about 15 seconds of fuel left when they finally touched down on the moon. This estimate was based on calculations and information onboard, as it was not possible to directly measure the fuel level. Despite the low fuel, the LM was never at risk of not being able to take off again, as the astronauts had dedicated abort fuel to return to the command module in orbit.
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Calculations estimated fuel remaining
The Apollo 11 lunar module, known as "the Eagle", was on its historic descent to the moon on July 20, 1969, when a fuel light blinked on. A warning light indicated that the tank was nearly dry, and the crew had only 60 seconds left to make it down.
Estimates vary on the exact amount of fuel left in the tank when the Eagle landed on the moon. According to Buzz Aldrin, the mission's lunar module pilot, they had about 15 seconds of fuel left. This estimate was based on calculations and information onboard, not on a direct measurement of the fuel level. Aldrin also mentions that they had 20 seconds' worth of fuel that needed to be saved in case of an abort.
Post-mission analysis provides a slightly different estimate, suggesting that there were 45 to 50 seconds of propellant burn time left at touchdown. This analysis takes into account the fuel required for both landing and abort scenarios.
During training, Armstrong had landed with fewer than 15 seconds of fuel on several occasions, and he was confident in the LM's ability to handle a low-fuel situation. Armstrong himself downplayed concerns about the fuel tank running dry, stating that even when the gauge reads empty, there is typically still some fuel remaining.
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Enough fuel to return to Columbia
The Apollo 11 mission, which landed on the moon on July 20, 1969, is remembered for many things, including the fact that the landing craft, Eagle, had very little fuel left when it touched down. Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin believed they had 40 seconds of fuel left, including 20 seconds' worth that had to be saved in case of an abort. According to Aldrin, they had 60 seconds to descend the final 100 feet to the lunar surface. Over the next 30 seconds, they descended 90 feet, leaving them with half a minute of fuel to navigate the final 10 feet.
In a 2019 interview, Aldrin recalled that they probably had about 15 seconds of fuel left when they touched down. This figure has been widely reported and repeated. However, it is important to note that this estimate was based on calculations and information available onboard, not an exact measurement. Post-mission analysis showed that there were 45 to 50 seconds of propellant burn time left at touchdown.
Despite the low fuel levels, the astronauts were not at risk of being stranded on the Moon. The LM was designed with dedicated abort fuel to return to the command module in orbit, with ample buffers. In the event of an abort, the computer was programmed to automatically send the Eagle module back into lunar orbit to dock with the command module, Columbia.
Armstrong's training also prepared him for such situations. On several occasions during training, he had landed with fewer than 15 seconds of fuel. Additionally, Armstrong's longtime friend and fellow astronaut, Gene Cernan, recalled that Armstrong downplayed concerns about the fuel tank running dry. Cernan quoted Armstrong as saying, "Everyone knows that when the fuel gauge says empty, there's always a gallon or two left at the bottom of the tank."
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The fuel gauge says empty
"The fuel gauge says empty" is how astronaut Gene Cernan, Armstrong's longtime friend, recalled his friend Neil Armstrong's reaction to the low-fuel warning during the Apollo 11 mission. Armstrong, the commander of the mission, and his pilot, Buzz Aldrin, were searching for a safe place to land the lunar module, known as "the Eagle", on the Moon's surface. The Eagle's fuel gauge was blinking, indicating that the tank was nearly dry, and the astronauts had mere seconds to find a landing spot.
Despite the dire situation, Armstrong remained calm and continued to steer the craft carefully, even as alarms began to sound in the cramped spacecraft. Aldrin recalled that he did not want to rush Armstrong, who had enough on his mind. Armstrong had taken manual control of the module earlier in the descent when he noticed they were heading towards an unsafe landing area. This manoeuvre took longer than expected, causing further concern about the fuel supply.
The exact amount of fuel remaining when Armstrong and Aldrin touched down on the Moon is unclear. Aldrin and Armstrong themselves believed they had 40 seconds of fuel left, including 20 seconds' worth that was reserved in case of an abort. In a later interview, Aldrin estimated they had about 15 seconds of fuel left when they landed, based on calculations and information available onboard. A post-mission analysis found that there were 45 to 50 seconds of propellant burn time remaining at touchdown.
Armstrong's calmness in the face of adversity and his ability to make quick decisions under pressure were commended by his colleagues. Cernan's anecdote about Armstrong's response to the fuel gauge reading empty illustrates the former's courage, grace, and humility in the face of a challenging situation.
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Frequently asked questions
Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin believed they had 40 seconds of fuel left when they landed on the moon, including 20 seconds' worth that had to be saved in case of an abort. However, it was later estimated that they probably had about 15 seconds of fuel left.
The amount of fuel left was estimated based on calculations and information onboard, not by physically checking the fuel levels.
Yes, during the landing process, a fuel light blinked on, and Mission Control was concerned that the LM was running low on fuel. However, Armstrong remained calm and continued to search for a suitable landing spot.
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