Space agencies, research institutions and private-sector leaders marked the 56th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission this weekend, underscoring the enduring global resonance of the first crewed lunar landing on 20 July 1969. The date, recognised as National Moon Day in the United States and International Moon Day by the United Nations, commemorates the moment when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the Moon while Michael Collins orbited above. NASA highlighted an interactive virtual tour of Columbia, the Apollo 11 Command Module, allowing the public to examine the spacecraft’s interior in high resolution. Science Magazine resurfaced its 1969 special issue on the landing, and the European Space Agency released a statement celebrating the milestone and encouraging new generations to pursue lunar exploration. The anniversary also spurred renewed calls for further crewed missions beyond low-Earth orbit. Private astronaut Jared Isaacman wrote that “it is time for the next giant leap,” reflecting wider anticipation of NASA’s Artemis programme and prospective commercial expeditions to the Moon and, eventually, Mars.