NASA wants to hear your Apollo story

Space agency seeks audio recordings of public's moon landing memories

ORLANDO, Fla. – July 20, 2019, marks the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11, the first time humans walked on the moon, and NASA wants to hear from you about the historic program.

The space agency said "NASA Explorers: Apollo" is a commemorative audio series that examines the moon’s cultural and scientific influence over the last half century, while also peering into the future of planetary exploration.

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NASA said listeners will meet a moon detective, tour a lab for space rocks and hear from scientists whose lives and work have been shaped by the Apollo program.

As a part of the series, NASA wants the public to share its perspective on lunar exploration or interview a loved one who lived during the Apollo era.

NASA said it will select some submissions to feature in the audio series, on its website and social media. 

How to record and submit your story

The deadline to submit your story to the mini oral history project is December 31, 2019. 

Open the voice recording app on your mobile device.
Record your story or interview. 
Email your audio file to apollostories@mail.nasa.gov. In the text of the email, include your full name, your hometown and state. If you interviewed someone, please include their full name and hometown, too.

Recording tips and guidelines

Try to keep your answers to each question under 120 seconds. Shorter stories will have a greater chance of being featured within NASA’s Apollo audio series, but longer stories may still be featured on nasa.gov or social media as a part of the oral history project. 

Start the recording by introducing yourself and stating where you’re from. If you’re interviewing someone, do the same for them.

Hold the recording device at least 6 inches from your face, or simply place it on a table in front of you or between you and the person you’re interviewing.

Allow for a natural pause between questions and answers.

Preferred audio file formats are .mp3, .mp4, .m4a or .wav.

Suggested questions to answer yourself or ask your interviewee:

  • What does exploration mean to you?
  • What do you think it would be like to see humans walk on the moon again?
  • When you think of the moon, what comes to mind?
  • What do you want to know about the moon?
  • If you remember the Apollo program ...
  • Where were you when humans walked on the moon for the first time? Describe who you were with, what you were thinking, the atmosphere and how you were feeling.
  • What was your life like in 1969?
  • Do you remember learning about space in school? If so, what do you remember? 

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