To mark the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, President Obama met with three astronauts who made history on July 20, 1969. 

Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins were all invited to meet with the president this afternoon in the Oval Office.  The three men were the only crew members of Apollo 11 when it became the first manned mission to land on the moon.  It is believed they planned to use their face-to-face with President Obama to push for a space program that would put a human on Mars. 

Speaking about his meeting with Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins, as well as today’s historic milestone, president Obama said,

“…I think that all of us recall the moment in which mankind finally was untethered from this planet and was able to explore the stars; the moment in which we had one of our own step on the moon and leave that imprint that is there to this day. And it’s because of the heroism, the calm under pressure, the grace with which these three gentlemen operated, but also the entire NASA family that was able to, at great risk oftentimes, and with great danger, was somehow able to lift our sights, not just here in the United States but around the world.”

It is estimated that 500 million people crowded around televisions and radios to watch or listen to the first moon walk.  Were you one of those people?  What do you think the future of space exploration should be? Here are some ideas about what might be next: http://www.america.gov/space.html

You can read President Obama’s full remarks after meeting with the Apollo 11 crew on NASA’s website.

President Obama has nominated Francis Collins to be the next leader of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH.) Collins is a well-known geneticist in the science community who has spoken about what he sees as the compatibility of science and faith. My colleague Daniel Gorelick has written all about this on his blog, Science Planet. Go read it!

President Obama had harsh words for North Korea, following its May 25 announcement that it conducted a nuclear test.

North Korea’s actions, President Obama said in a statement, “are a matter of grave concern to all nations. North Korea’s attempts to develop nuclear weapons, as well as its ballistic missile program, constitute a threat to international peace and security.”

By defying the United Nations Security Council, Obama said, North Korea “is directly and recklessly challenging the international community. North Korea’s behavior increases tensions and undermines stability in Northeast Asia.”

President Obama says he’s committed to ensuring that Americans have access to government information, so that they know what their leaders are doing and how they are spending their tax dollars.

Yesterday the administration launched a new Web site, Data.gov that brings that information to Americans’ fingertips. Users can search by topic or by government agency. There is not a great wealth of information on the site just yet, but more is coming, White House officials say. Data.gov is one of many new Obama Web sites that aim to bring U.S. government information online. For example, Recovery.gov lets Americans see how their tax dollars help stimulate the economy.

Are there other ways the U.S. government can use technology to show its commitment to openness and transparency? The Obama administration wants to know! The new Open Government blog asks everyone to join in a brainstorming session to collect the best ideas.

Does anyone know of good Web sites like these run by other governments? If so, Obama Today wants to know about them.

The crew of space shuttle Atlantis has had an exciting week in space working on itsfinal repairs for the nearly 20-year-old Hubble Space Telescope. Among the exciting moments: a phone call from President Obama! You can hear it yourself: click here to read and listen to Obama’s comments.

The Obama administration is focused on the H1N1 outbreak, both domestically and internationally. Speaking during his prime-time press conference April 29, President Obama said “every American should know that their entire government is taking the utmost precautions and preparations.”

In the United States, federal agencies are offering guidance on when to close schools and take other precautionary steps, while in Mexico, officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are working closely with local staff to help with disease diagnosis and prevention.

The president has also asked Americans to help prevent the disease in a very simple way: “keep your hands washed; cover your mouth when you cough; stay home from work if you’re sick; and keep your children home from school if they’re sick.” It’s a message that is being reiterated throughout the federal government as staffers in executive branch agencies are receiving e-mails reminding them of these basic precautions.

Vice President Biden has also discussed flu precautions, suggesting that Americans should avoid public and confined places like airplanes or trains. Concerned that the vice president’s comments could cause unnecessary panic, the White House later clarified that it is those who are sick that should avoid these confined spaces.

“Obviously, if anybody was unduly alarmed . . . we would apologize for that,” White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said.