(July 21, 1969). This exceptional view of the full moon was photographed from the Apollo 11 spacecraft on its earthbound journey to Earth. When this picture was taken, the spacecraft was already 10,000 nautical miles away. On board Apollo 11 were astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, pilot of the control module; and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., pilot of the lunar module. As astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin descended into the lunar module "Eagle" to explore the moon, astronaut Collins remained with the command and service module "Columbia" in lunar orbit.