How long did it take Apollo 11 to reach the Moon?

The Saturn V lifted off on July 16, 1969 at 13:32 UTC and first placed the crew into Earth orbit. After a few hours, the third stage reignited and sent Apollo 11 onto a lunar trajectory; from there, the flight was essentially free fall with small corrections. On July 19, the main engine braked the spacecraft into lunar orbit. On July 20, the lunar module Eagle separated, and at 20:17 UTC Armstrong announced the landing in the Sea of Tranquility. Just over four days passed between liftoff in Florida and touchdown in the lunar dust.

Armstrong stepped out of the module on July 21 at 02:56 UTC, with Aldrin following shortly after. The moonwalk lasted a bit more than two hours: the flag, the instruments, the rock samples, a radio conversation with Washington. Afterward, both slept poorly in the cramped cabin, while Michael Collins kept orbiting the Moon alone aboard the command module, a thankless but essential role. In total, the Eagle remained on the surface for just under a day before the ascent stage ignited.

The trip back took almost as long as the trip out: engine ignition from lunar orbit, another unpowered fall, and then atmospheric entry heat shield first. The capsule splashed down on July 24, 1969 at 16:50 UTC in the Pacific, where the USS Hornet was waiting; the crew then went into quarantine, since no one could rule out that lunar dust contained organisms. From launch to splashdown, the mission lasted about eight days.