Earth curvature over North America from Apollo 11 after translunar injection, 16-24 July 1969

Vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based paper, printed 1969, (NASA AS11-36-5302), with "A KODAK PAPER" watermark on verso, 20,3 x 25,4 cm

“After one and a half orbits a preprogrammed sequence fired the Saturn to send us out of Earth orbit and on our way to the Moon.”
Buzz Aldrin (NASA SP-350, p.206)

Armstrong described how he felt leaving the Earth:
“The engine comes to life; you settle back in your seat; you feel the strong push of that rocket in your back – but in the dark you just can’t see what’s happening. There’s no visual confirmation. The engine stops and you’re floating again. You see a scimitar of light ahead – a sliver of daylight marking the dawn and you are flying back into daylight. In a half minute you are smothered in daylight – it’s overwhelming. You are moving outward from Earth at ten times the speed of a rifle bullet, but you seem to be perfectly motionless. The horizon is growing more and more; you can see Australia off to the right and Japan off to the left. All of a sudden you can see the entire circle – the whole planet Earth exploding away from you into the inky black sky…”
Neil Armstrong (Hamish Lindsey, Tracking Apollo to the Moon, Springer, London, 2001).

002:53:03 Armstrong: Hey, Houston, Apollo 11. That Saturn gave us a magnificent ride.