Although Neil Armstrong and the Apollo 11 crew were headed to the moon, it seems like Armstrong believed he was searching for a new route to India instead. Here are five times he made this misconception clear.
1. When reporters asked him what he was excited for during the mission and he said “samosas”
During the final press conference before takeoff, Neil Armstrong confidently told reporters that the thing that excited him most about his upcoming mission was “finally trying some authentic samosas, maybe some paneer too.” The reporters nodded along and assumed Armstrong was referring to some kind of astronaut food.
2. When the rocket was going upward and he kept looking down to Earth saying, “Isn’t it back there?”
Accounts from crew members confirm that as the rocket approached the moon, Armstrong repeatedly said he was pretty sure they were supposed to make a turn, not just go upward. He was also described pointing back toward Earth while insisting he could see the Taj Mahal.
3. When he insisted he didn’t need a helmet while walking on the moon because India is safe
Armstrong was hesitant to put on a helmet before walking on the moon, stating, “They’re not a violent culture,” and calling Buzz Aldrin xenophobic for wearing one. Aldrin reportedly convinced him to wear his space suit and helmet by saying this garb was a way to “honor their culture”—without being sure what culture he was even talking about.
4. When he took his first steps on the moon and said “Hm, thought there’d be more Indian people”
As Armstrong stepped off the rocket and looked around the moon, he seemed a bit dumbfounded. Audio recorded by the astronauts captured him yelling back to pilot Michael Collins, “We land in a desolate area or something?” As he walked around, confused, he added, “Thought this was the most populated country in the world. Damn.”
5. When he put a bunch of moon rocks in a jar and labeled it “cinnamon”
Before getting back in the rocket, Armstrong proceeded to collect crushed moon rock in jars labeled “cinnamon,” “ginger,” and “cardamom.” Though he tried to get Aldrin and Collins in on the action, saying they could all make major cash selling these coveted spices back home, they were reluctant to join him.
