CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

99

Introduced by Assembly Members Hoover and Pacheco

August 18, 2026

Relative to Lunar Landing Day.

WHEREAS, On July 20, 1969, American Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed the Lunar Module “Eagle” on the Moon while Michael Collins orbited the Moon in the Command Module Columbia, collectively known as the Apollo 11 mission, conducted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, resulting in the first humans landing on another celestial body; and

WHEREAS, The Apollo 11 lunar landing was one of the most important events in the history of humankind, requiring the efforts of over 410,000 people working in concert; and

WHEREAS, The contributions of the engineers and machinists working at related companies in California led to the design and successful use of the engines used to power the rocket for the Apollo 11 mission; and

WHEREAS, The Apollo 11 mission effectively ended the Space Race and fulfilled a national goal proposed in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy: “before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth”; and

WHEREAS, For over 70 years, the North American Rockwell company site in Downey, California produced and tested many of the 20th century’s greatest aviation, missile, and space endeavors; and

WHEREAS, Rocket engines used in the Apollo missions were designed, manufactured, and tested at the Aerojet company site in Rancho Cordova, California; and

WHEREAS, The lunar landing was witnessed by the largest simultaneous viewing audience in television broadcast history, and was publicized in every major language on Earth by newspapers, radio stations, and international broadcast networks; and

WHEREAS, The Apollo missions enabled people of the world to view their planet Earth in a new way when for the first time, humans saw the entire planet from afar, a tiny, lovely, fragile “blue marble” hanging in the blackness of space; and

WHEREAS, Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in the United States is lagging behind that of other nations, and the promotion of science and space exploration can lead to an improvement in STEM education for current students and the next generation of explorers, engineers, artists, and creators; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, That the Assembly establishes July 20, 2026, and every July 20 thereafter, as Lunar Landing Day in the State of California; and be it further

Resolved, That the Assembly encourages people throughout California to celebrate Lunar Landing Day by doing all of the following:

(1) Honoring the contributions of the aerospace engineers in this state who contributed to the success of the Apollo 11 mission;

(2) Honoring all who study, design, fabricate, and construct the technologies and applications that allow human space exploration and research;

(3) Educating family, friends, and all others about its value and the impact of human space exploration on the economy, national security, society, and human health.

(4) Inspiring students to pursue STEM education and seize the opportunity to amplify the United States’ tradition of discovery and innovation; and

(5) Celebrating the accomplishments of the United States in science and space exploration and research in the past, and promoting the achievements yet to come in the future; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.