The eagle was a large bird-of-prey on Earth. In the United States of America, the eagle was the national symbol and was used in art as a representation of the nation in defense and exploration. The eagle was depicted on the mission insignias for Apollo 11, Apollo 16, Apollo 17, STS-36, STS-51C, and STS-54. For Apollo 11, the eagle was clutching an olive branch in its talons, which was symbolic of the peaceful nature of the mission. (Star Trek: Insurrection; VOY: "Non Sequitur"; ENT: "First Flight")
The lunar module for Apollo 11 was named after the bird in its mission insignia. The species of eagle depicted was the bald eagle.