Buzz
In July 1969, the global audience witnessed the Apollo 11 crew achieve lunar orbit, land on the moon, and safely return to Earth. Each phase of the mission carried significant risks, and NASA had contingency plans for potential disasters—despite being 384,403 kilometers away. In 1999, William Safire revealed the speech he prepared for President Richard Nixon in the event of a mission failure. From Safire's account:
The riskiest phase of the mission wasn't landing the lunar module on the moon but launching it back to the command module. A failure here would leave Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stranded with no hope of rescue. Mission Control would have no choice but to sever communications, leaving the world to mourn as the astronauts faced starvation or took their own lives. Nixon's aides, H. R. Haldeman and Peter Flanigan, instructed me to prepare for this tragic scenario. On July 18, 1969, I proposed that "in the event of a lunar disaster... the President should personally call each of the future widows" and, after NASA ended communication, "a clergyman should perform a ritual akin to a sea burial, entrusting their souls to 'the deepest of the deep' and concluding with the Lord's Prayer." A draft of the President's speech was also prepared.
Below is the speech's text:
IN THE EVENT OF A LUNAR TRAGEDY: Destiny has decreed that the men who ventured to the moon in the spirit of peaceful exploration will now rest there in eternal peace. Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, these courageous individuals, are aware that their rescue is impossible. Yet, they understand that their sacrifice offers hope for humanity. By giving their lives for one of mankind's highest aspirations—the pursuit of truth and knowledge—they leave an indelible mark. Their families, friends, nation, and the entire world will grieve their loss. Even Mother Earth, who sent her two sons into the vast unknown, will mourn them. Through their journey, they united the world in shared emotion; through their sacrifice, they strengthened the bonds of human brotherhood. In ancient times, people gazed at the stars and saw heroes in the constellations. Today, we honor heroes of flesh and blood, whose bravery transcends time. Others will follow in their footsteps and, undoubtedly, return safely. Humanity's quest will not be halted. Yet, these men, as the pioneers, will forever hold a special place in our hearts. For all who gaze at the moon in the nights ahead, they will know that a piece of another world belongs eternally to mankind.
This story has been revised for 2019.
