Armstrong - 10 things to know with detail
- 1. Neil Armstrong was the first person to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969, during the Apollo 11 mission. He famously declared, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
- 2. Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio. He developed a passion for flying at a young age and earned his pilot's license before he could drive a car.
- 3. Before becoming an astronaut, Armstrong served in the United States Navy and flew combat missions during the Korean War. He later became a test pilot for NASA.
- 4. Armstrong was selected as an astronaut in 1962 as part of the second group of NASA astronauts. He flew his first space mission, Gemini 8, in 1966, where he performed the first successful docking of two spacecraft in orbit.
- 5. Armstrong's historic moonwalk lasted approximately two and a half hours, during which he collected samples of lunar soil and conducted experiments. He was joined on the moon by fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin.
- 6. Despite his fame and accomplishment, Armstrong remained a humble and private individual. He rarely gave interviews and shied away from the spotlight.
- 7. After leaving NASA in 1971, Armstrong taught aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati and served on various corporate boards.
- 8. Armstrong received numerous awards and honors for his achievements, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, and the Congressional Gold Medal.
- 9. Armstrong passed away on August 25, 2012, at the age of 82. His legacy as a pioneering astronaut and American hero continues to inspire future generations.
- 10. Armstrong's iconic phrase, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," remains one of the most memorable quotes in human history and symbolizes the triumph of human exploration and discovery.