Minute 007: Just Sixty Nautical Miles Down

Marilyn and Jim Lovell are in their backyard, after the Apollo XI Moonwalk party is over.

“When you were on far side on Eight, I didn’t sleep at all,” says Marilyn, leaning into her lawn chair, “I just vacuumed, over and over again.”

“Christopher Columbus,” says Jim, looking at the Moon, “Charles Lindbergh… and Neil Armstrong.” He laughs. “Neil Armstrong!”

Marilyn laughs, too. Jim climbs into his lawn chair.

Looking back at the Moon, Jim says, “From now on, we live in a world where Man has walked on the Moon.” He turns and looks at Marilyn. “And it’s not a miracle. We just decided to go.”

He looks back at the Moon. “On Apollo 8, we were so close,” he says. “Just sixty nautical miles down. And what’s it like to just  – – step out, and walk on the face of it? I want to go back. ”

IN THIS MINUTE:

Jim Lovell: Tom Hanks
Marilyn Lovell: Kathleen Quinlan