1969年7月20日，美國航天員阿姆斯特朗與艾德林成功登陸月球。鮮為人知的是，當時美國政府對于這次登月的成功并無十分把握，所以當時白宮曾擬好一份萬一他們登月失敗時，尼克松總統(tǒng)將要宣讀的演講稿。該份講稿在美國國家檔案館的尼克松私人文件檔案中被找到，標題為“萬一登月計劃發(fā)生災難時”(In the event of Moon disaster)，由尼克松的文稿撰寫人沙斐爾（William Safire）草擬，全文如下（英語原文附后）：

命運注定這兩位登陸月球進行和平探險的人將在月球上安息。

兩位勇者——尼爾•阿姆斯特朗和埃德溫•奧爾德林——知道返航無望，但也知道其犧牲將為人類帶來希望。
他們兩人為追尋人類最高貴的探求真理的目標過程中倒下。

他們將被親友哀悼，他們的國家哀悼、全世界人民哀悼，他們更會被敢于將自己的兒子送往未知境地的地球母親所哀悼。

他們的探險，鼓舞世人團結(jié)一心，他們的犧牲，讓人類四海一家皆兄弟的情誼緊密相連。

在古代，人類會抬頭觀星并在星座中看到英雄。在現(xiàn)代，人類也會觀星，但我們的英雄是活生生的血肉之軀。

未來將有更多人追隨其腳步上太空，他們一定會找到回家的路。人類的探索不會停步。他們是第一批，將在人們心中永生。

在今后的夜晚，每個人仰望明月的時候，都會想到那里的一個角落已經(jīng)成為永遠的人類世界。

Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace.
These brave men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice.
These two men are laying down their lives in mankind's most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding.
They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by their nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a Mother Earth that dared send two of her sons into the unknown.
In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man.
In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood.
Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man's search will not be denied. But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts.
For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind.