Think you’ve seen it all from Apollo 11? Well, I think not. Here I have gathered some never before seen Apollo 11 photos that reveal a part of the Moon landing most of us didnt know about.
Most people have seen the iconic shot—Neil Armstrong stepping onto the Moon, declaring his “giant leap.” But those aren’t the only images captured during Apollo 11. Now, decades later, NASA has quietly released a series of never-before-seen Apollo 11 photos, and they show a side of the mission the world has never witnessed.
No bear in mind that these aren’t the polished publicity stills or the images printed in history books. They’re raw, sometimes blurry, often accidental. But together, they offer a rare glimpse behind the curtain of one of humanity’s greatest achievements. And I think that is what makes them sepcial.
The man behind the archive
This release owes much to Kipp Teague, a longtime NASA data systems specialist and devoted space enthusiast. Driven more by passion than obligation, Teague took it upon himself to scan and share the entire photographic archive online, frame by frame. The result is a treasure trove of imagery, some captured intentionally by the crew—others unintentionally during the chaos of space travel.
Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins were equipped with high-resolution Hasselblad cameras throughout the mission. While Armstrong and Aldrin made history on the Moon’s surface, Collins orbited above in the Command Module, documenting from afar. Together, they returned with hundreds of images—some public, many forgotten.
Among the photos are snapshots taken seconds too early or too late, blurry frames from a jostled hand, and candid moments not meant for public view. They don’t depict alien structures or UFOs, as some fringe theories once claimed, but they do carry a different kind of mystery—what it really looked like to be there.
These never before seen Apollo 11 photos include everything from the stark desolation of the Moon to quiet, almost haunting interior shots of the spacecraft. They’re not flawless, but that’s what makes them human.
Also documented in this forgotten archive: the simple plaque left on the Moon, signed by the three astronauts and President Nixon. Its message, etched into metal and history: We came in peace for all mankind.
A new lens on an old journey
This release doesn’t rewrite the Apollo 11 story—it deepens it. By showing the mission not as a cleanly edited event but as a lived experience, it reminds us that even the most iconic moments are filled with imperfections, missteps, and unseen perspectives.
And for those who thought they’d already seen everything from Apollo 11, these photographs suggest otherwise. History, it seems, still has a few undeveloped frames left to share.
A stunning series of images
Enjoy the images, and don’t forget to check out the massive archive on Flickr.
