Editing Apollo 11 (section)

=== Prime crew ===

{{Spaceflight crew
|terminology  = Astronaut
|position1    = Commander
|crew1_up     = [[Neil Armstrong|Neil A. Armstrong]]
|flights1_up  = Second and last
|position2    = Command Module Pilot
|crew2_up     = [[Michael Collins (astronaut)|Michael Collins]]
|flights2_up  = Second and last
|position3    = Lunar Module Pilot
|crew3_up     = [[Buzz Aldrin|Edwin "Buzz" E. Aldrin Jr.]]
|flights3_up  = Second and last
}}

The initial crew assignment of Commander [[Neil Armstrong]], Command Module Pilot (CMP) [[Jim Lovell]], and Lunar Module Pilot (LMP) [[Buzz Aldrin]] on the backup crew for Apollo&nbsp;9 was officially announced on November 20, 1967.{{sfn|Brooks|Grimwood|Swenson|1979|p=374}} Lovell and Aldrin had previously flown together as the crew of [[Gemini 12]]. Due to design and manufacturing delays in the LM, Apollo&nbsp;8 and Apollo&nbsp;9 swapped prime and backup crews, and Armstrong's crew became the backup for Apollo&nbsp;8. Based on the normal crew rotation scheme, Armstrong was then expected to command Apollo 11.{{sfn|Hansen|2005|pp=312–313}}

There would be one change. [[Michael Collins (astronaut)|Michael Collins]], the CMP on the Apollo&nbsp;8 crew, began experiencing trouble with his legs. Doctors diagnosed a bony growth between his fifth and sixth vertebrae, requiring surgery.{{sfn|Collins|2001|pp=288–289}} Lovell took his place on the Apollo&nbsp;8 crew, and when Collins recovered he joined Armstrong's crew as CMP. In the meantime, [[Fred Haise]] filled in as backup LMP, and Aldrin as backup CMP for Apollo 8.{{sfn|Cunningham|2010|p=109}} Apollo 11 was the second American mission where all the crew members had prior spaceflight experience,{{sfn|Orloff|2000|p=90}} the first being Apollo 10.{{sfn|Orloff|2000|p=72}} The next was [[STS-26]] in 1988.{{sfn|Orloff|2000|p=90}}

[[Deke Slayton]] gave Armstrong the option to replace Aldrin with Lovell, since some thought Aldrin was difficult to work with. Armstrong had no issues working with Aldrin but thought it over for a day before declining. He thought Lovell deserved to command his own mission (eventually [[Apollo 13]]).{{sfn|Hansen|2005|pp=338–339}}

The Apollo 11 prime crew had none of the close cheerful camaraderie characterized by that of [[Apollo 12]]. Instead, they forged an amiable working relationship. Armstrong in particular was notoriously aloof, but Collins, who considered himself a loner, confessed to rebuffing Aldrin's attempts to create a more personal relationship.{{sfn|Collins|2001|pp=434–435}} Aldrin and Collins described the crew as "amiable strangers".{{sfn|Hansen|2005|p=359}} Armstrong did not agree with the assessment, and said "all the crews I was on worked very well together."{{sfn|Hansen|2005|p=359}}