40th anniversary of US moon landing

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Veteran astronauts from several US Apollo space missions have converged in Washington to mark the 40th anniversary of man landing on the moon. The astronauts aboard the shuttle-station complex also celebrated this event.

President Barack Obama talks with Apollo astronaut Neil Armstrong  in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Monday, July  20, 2009, on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing.

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

Forty years ago, Neil Armstrong's eleven words beamed over 360-thousand kilometers to Earth from the Moon. Armstrong's steps were the first ever human imprints left on the moon. And they forever changed the course of human exploration.

On Monday, Armstrong made a rare public speech at NASA's official commemoration of the moon landing.

Neil Armstrong, Apollo 11 Commander, said, "It left a lasting imprint on society and history. Tonight we remember and congratulate all those who made it possible. Apollo was a good thing to do."

Meanwhile, the astronauts aboard shuttle Endeavor celebrated man's first moon landing with their own spacewalk, heading outside to stockpile some big spare parts.

It was the 202nd spacewalk by Americans since the Apollo 11 lunar excursion.

NASA wants to have as many extra pieces up there as possible so that when the shuttles stop flying next year, the station will be able to get along without their big deliveries.

The space station toilet that broke down on Sunday is also up and running again, after the crew added some new parts.