🕷️ Crawler Inspector

URL Lookup

Direct Parameter Lookup

Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 8 (from laksa087)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa008.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.space.com/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://www.space.com/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/www.space.com\/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html","crawl_time":1775624374,"first_indexed_time":1496995997,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,space!www,\/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html s443","src_root_hash":"7770394665477845008","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Neil Armstrong: First Man on the Moon | Space","meta_descriptions":["Neil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut, aeronautical engineer and the first person to walk on the moon, on July 20, 1969."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"Neil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He is photographed here during the final check of his communications system before the boarding of the Apollo 11 mission.\n(Image credit: NASA)\nNeil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He famously became the first person to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969 during\nApollo 11\n. Armstrong also flew on NASA's Gemini 8 mission in 1966. \nHe retired from\nNASA\nin 1971 and remained active in the aerospace community, although he chose to keep mostly out of the public spotlight. Armstrong died Aug. 25, 2012, at age 82.\nArmstrong was famously reticent about his accomplishments, preferring to focus on the team that helped him get to the\nmoon\nrather than his own first steps. \"I guess we all like to be recognized not for one piece of fireworks, but for the ledger of our daily work,\" Armstrong said in an\ninterview with CBS's \"60 Minutes\"\nprogram in 2005. \nArticle continues below\nIn another interview, when asked what it feels like to have his footprints remain on the moon's surface for thousands of years, Armstrong said, \"I kind of hope that somebody goes up there one of these days and cleans them up,\"\nThe Independent\nreported.\nRelated:\nApollo landers, Neil Armstrong’s bootprint and other human artifacts on moon officially protected by new US law\nEarly career and NASA work\nArmstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, on Aug. 5, 1930, to Stephen Koenig Armstrong and Viola Louise Engel. \nNeil was a naval aviator from 1949 to 1952 and served in the Korean War. He earned his bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University in 1955. (Many years later, after he became world-famous, he also received a master of science in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California in 1970.) \nBreaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more!\nArmstrong became a test pilot for NASA (then known as NACA, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) and flew the X-15, a rocket-powered, missile-shaped aircraft that tested the limits of high-altitude flight. During his long career as a pilot, Armstrong flew more than 200 different aircraft, from jets to gliders and even helicopters.\nNASA test pilot Neil Armstrong is seen here next to the X-15 ship #1 after a research flight.\n(Image credit: NASA)\nIn 1962, Armstrong was selected to be part of NASA's second group of astronauts, who flew on the two-seat\nGemini missions\nto test out space technology, and the three-seat Apollo missions that ultimately took 12 people to the surface of the moon. Armstrong's first flight was as command pilot of the Gemini 8 mission in March 1966 — the sixth crewed mission of that series. \nArmstrong and pilot David Scott completed the first orbital docking of two spacecraft, joining their Gemini 8 spacecraft to an uncrewed Agena target vehicle. However, the two-man crew experienced a serious problem when a thruster on the Gemini 8 spacecraft became stuck open. With the astronauts whipping around faster than one revolution per second, Armstrong managed to gain control again by using the re-entry system thrusters. The event was the first serious emergency in space and although the mission ultimately ended safely, the spacecraft was forced to splash down early because the re-entry system was already expended.\nArmstrong also narrowly avoided a nasty accident in May 1968, this time within\nEarth's atmosphere\n, while flying the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle — a machine that could fly somewhat like a lunar module and simulate landings on the moon. Fuel for the attitude thrusters ran out and Armstrong was forced to eject just seconds before the vehicle crashed,\nNASA reported\n. Armstrong escaped unharmed.\nCommander Neil Armstrong (right) and pilot David R. Scott prepare to board the Gemini-Titan 8. Gemini VIII successfully launched at 11:41 a.m. EST, March 16, 1966. The mission conducted the first docking of two spacecraft in orbit and landed safely back on Earth after an emergency abort. \n(Image credit: NASA)\nApollo 11 and the first moonwalk\nThe Apollo 11 crew members were announced to the public in January 1969. NASA's chief of the Astronaut Office, Donald Kent \"Deke\" Slayton, chose an all-veteran team of Neil Armstrong (Gemini 8), Edwin\n\"Buzz\" Aldrin\n(Gemini 12) and\nMichael Collins\n(Gemini 10), with Armstrong selected to command the mission. His responsibilities included landing on the moon alongside Aldrin, the pilot of the lunar module Eagle. Collins would remain in lunar orbit aboard the command module Columbia. (Collins was originally supposed to be backup pilot for Apollo 11, but his spot in the flight sequence was moved after required surgery on his back forced him off the prime crew for Apollo 8.)\nAs the lander approached the moon, Armstrong took over the controls when he saw that the computer was guiding them to a boulder-filled landing zone. At 4:14 p.m. EDT (2014 GMT), Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon, with only 25 seconds of fuel left. Armstrong radioed, \"Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.\" Capsule communicator and astronaut Charles Duke responded from Earth: \"Roger … Tranquility, we copy you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again. Thanks a lot.\"\nThe schedule called for the astronauts to sleep before the first moonwalk, but they elected to go outside early because they felt they would not be able to sleep. In view of a black-and-white television camera transmitting his movements live to Earth, Armstrong descended Eagle's lander and touched his left foot upon the surface at 10:56 p.m. EDT July 20 (0256 GMT July 21). His first words were \"That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.\" (The \"a\" was lost to radio static, but later\nanalysis of the sound wave\nshowed that Armstrong did say it.)\nArmstrong and Aldrin together explored the surface during a moonwalk that lasted 2 hours and 36 minutes. They collected 48.5 pounds (22 kilograms) of material from the surface — including 50 moon rocks — as well as deploying experiments, planting the U.S. flag and taking a moment to speak with the U.S. president at the time, Richard Nixon. \nThe Eagle's crew lifted off safely from the moon on July 21, docked with Columbia, and voyaged back to Earth for a successful ocean landing on July 24. The astronauts went into quarantine to mitigate the (unlikely) risk that they were carrying some sort of moon germs back with them, and then embarked on a world tour to celebrate the mission.\nAfter Apollo 11, and Armstrong's death\nAfter his time as an astronaut, Armstrong was deputy associate administrator for aeronautics at\nNASA headquarters\n. He resigned from NASA in 1971. From 1971 to 1979, he was a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati. Then from 1982 to 1992, Armstrong was chairman of Computing Technologies for Aviation Inc. in Charlottesville, Virginia. Armstrong also participated in the Rogers Commission, which was a presidential commission tasked to look at the causes and events of the fatal\nChallenger shuttle\nexplosion of Jan. 28, 1986, that killed seven astronauts. \nArmstrong chose to mostly stay out of the spotlight after leaving NASA, although he did reappear periodically for interviews or for anniversary events concerning Apollo 11. Although his public statements were few, he followed spaceflight news and occasionally made public comments on what was happening. He remained a vocal supporter of suborbital spaceflight. On the other hand, the former Apollo astronaut was publicly\ncritical of plans\nto shift crewed spaceflight from NASA to private spacecraft.\nOn Aug. 7, 2012 — two days after Armstrong turned 82 years old — the famed moonwalker underwent coronary bypass surgery. Complications from the surgery resulted in his death on Aug. 25. \n\"Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend,\" his family wrote on the website neilarmstronginfo.com. \"For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request,\" they added. \"Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink.\"\nTributes poured in\nfrom many public figures, including President Barack Obama, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, then-NASA administrator Charles Bolden, Apollo 11 crewmates Aldrin and Collins, and various space representatives in the public, private and nonprofit spheres. \n\"Neil was among the greatest of American heroes — not just of his time, but of all time,\"\nObama's statement read\n. \"When he and his fellow crew members lifted off aboard Apollo 11 in 1969, they carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation. They set out to show the world that the American spirit can see beyond what seems unimaginable — that with enough drive and ingenuity, anything is possible.\"\nA\nprivate memorial service\nfor Armstrong was held Aug. 31, 2012, at the Camargo Club in Cincinnati. Two weeks later, a\npublicly televised memorial service\nwas held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. \nArmstrong was\nburied at sea\nSept. 14, 2012, in a ceremony aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea. Armstrong's family was on board when the ship left port in Mayport, Florida, and they released his ashes somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. Obama ordered flags around the United States to fly at half-staff on the day of the funeral.\nArmstrong's legacy\nIn 2015, the Smithsonian Institution revealed that Armstrong had kept aside a\ncloth bag full of small parts\nfrom the lunar module Eagle, which lay undiscovered for decades until his widow, Carol, found it. While Armstrong made no mention of this bag in decades of interviews, the bag was discussed a few times during the mission. \nIt is unknown how Armstrong ultimately gained possession of the bag, but it was common during the Apollo years for astronauts to retain souvenirs of their flights. (A month after Armstrong's death, Obama made legal a bill to allow Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts to retain legal title to these mementos.) Former \"Mythbusters\" host Adam Savage subsequently created a\ncarry bag based on the design\nof Armstrong's \"purse\"; the design was actually used in several Apollo missions before and after Apollo 11. \nOn Jul. 21, 2009, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin attended the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 Astronauts at the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill. During the ceremony, the committee presented the astronauts with a copy of House Resolution 607 honoring their achievements and announced the passage of legislation awarding them and\nJohn Glenn\nthe Congressional Gold Medal. \nApollo 11 Astronauts, from left, Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden attend the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 Astronauts.\n(Image credit: NASA\/Bill Ingalls)\nIn a 2013 BBC documentary, Armstrong's brother, Dean, said that he knew of the\nfamous first words on the moon\nseveral months before Apollo 11 touched down. Dean reported that Armstrong passed him a handwritten note as the brothers played a late-night game of Risk, according to British newspaper the Telegraph. However, Dean's remarks contradicted many statements by Armstrong himself, who said that the words didn't come to him until he arrived on the moon. The other Apollo 11 astronauts have also backed up Armstrong's assertions.\nIn 2017, a rare\ngold lunar model was stolen\nfrom the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta. \"Entry to the museum was discovered and taken was a solid gold replica of the 1969 Lunar Excursion Module that landed on the moon,\" Russel Hunlock, Wapakoneta police chief, said in a release. \"The piece is very rare as it was presented to Neil Armstrong in Paris, France, shortly after the moon landing.\" \nOn Oct. 12, 2018, Universal Pictures released a Neil Armstrong biography based on James R. Hansen's book \"First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong.\" The movie starred Ryan Gosling as Armstrong. The movie was embroiled in political controversy because the filmmakers decided not to include a scene where Armstrong plants an American flag on the moon's surface, despite the fact that Armstrong did so in reality. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, tweeted, \"This is total lunacy. And a disservice at a time when our people need reminders of what we can achieve when we work together.\" \nAt the Venice Film Festival Gosling defended the filmmaker's choice, reported\nThe Telegraph\n, saying, \"I think [the moon landing] was widely regarded in the end as a human achievement [and] that's how we chose to view it.\" \nOn Aug. 11, 2021, NASA\ndedicated the Ohio test facility to Neil Armstrong\n. Armstrong had graciously declined the honor when he was originally asked, but on Wednesday (Aug. 11), nine years after Armstrong died and a week after what would have been his 91st birthday, a group of NASA officials and members of Congress gathered at a small dedication ceremony in Sandusky, Ohio. NASA’s Plum Brook Station is now known as The Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility. \nAdditional resources\nYou can explore 50 Neil Armstrong facts with this article from \nFacts.net\n or read about Armstrong's life and dreams of space travel \nin this book\n by James R. Hansen. Discover more about Armstrong in \nthis informative article\n published by the Air and Space Museum.\nBibliography\nSylvia Doughty Fries “\nNASA Engineers and the Age of Apollo\n”, The NASA History Series. \nHansen, James R. “\nFirst Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong\n”. Simon and Schuster, 2012. \nShare your thoughts\n0\n0\n0\n0\nJoin the community\nJoin the Space.com Family! The best way to keep in touch and to be informed of our latest quizzes and competitions, as well as news and offers.\nAlready have an account?\nLog in\nLog In\nForgotten your password?\nReset it\nNot got an account?\nRegister\nMy Details\nUpdate your details below...\nKeep in the Know\nWould you like to be kept informed about new quizzes and offers from Future and its partners?\nValidate Your Mobile No.\nWe have sent a code to\n. Please enter it below to verify your account.\nUpdate mobile number\nResend code\nUpdate Your Mobile No.\nYou may enter a new mobile number below. You will be sent a verification code to the phone number you provide.\nCancel\nembed-reactions.hint_heading\nembed-reactions.hint_subheading\nValidate Your Email Address\nWe have sent a code to\n. Please enter it below to verify your account.\nUpdate email address\nResend code\nUpdate Your Email Address\nYou may enter a new email address below. You will be sent a verification code to the address you provide.\nCancel\nCreate a Username\nThis will be publicly viewable so make it something you like!\nReset your password\nEnter your email address below. If it is registered with us, we will email you a code that will allow you to reset your password.\nCheck your inbox\nIf your email address was found in our system, you should receive an email in the next few minutes containing a code. Enter that code below to reset your password.\nSet new password\nPlease enter your new password below.\nLeaderboard\nRank\nPlayer\nScore\nTime\nElizabeth Howell (she\/her), Ph.D., was a staff writer in the spaceflight channel between 2022 and 2024 specializing in Canadian space news. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years from 2012 to 2024. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House, leading world coverage about a lost-and-found space tomato on the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, \"Why Am I Taller?\" (ECW Press, 2022) is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams.","attrs_markdown":"![](https:\/\/sb.scorecardresearch.com\/p\/?c1=2&c2=10055482&cv=4.4.0&cj=1)\n\n[Skip to main content](https:\/\/www.space.com\/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html#main)\n\nOpen menu\n\n[![Space](https:\/\/www.space.com\/media\/img\/spc-logo-w.svg) Space](https:\/\/www.space.com\/)\n\n[Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter](https:\/\/www.space.com\/newsletter)\n\n[RSS](https:\/\/www.space.com\/feeds.xml)\n\nSign in\n\n- View Profile\n- Sign out\n\nSearch\n\n- [Space Exploration](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration)\n  - [Launches & Spacecraft](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/launches-spacecraft)\n    - [Private spaceflight](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/private-spaceflight)\n    - [Human spaceflight](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/human-spaceflight)\n    - [SpaceX](https:\/\/www.space.com\/tag\/spacex)\n    - [Blue Origin](https:\/\/www.space.com\/tag\/blue-origin)\n    - 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[Astronomy](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy)\n2. [Solar System](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/solar-system)\n3. [The moon](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/solar-system\/moon)\n# Neil Armstrong: First man on the moon\n[References](https:\/\/www.space.com\/references)\n\nBy [Daisy Dobrijevic](https:\/\/www.space.com\/author\/daisy-dobrijevic), [Elizabeth Howell](https:\/\/www.space.com\/author\/elizabeth-howell)\n\npublished\n\nJanuary 20, 2022\n\nA brief biography of Neil Armstrong.\n\nWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. [Here’s how it works](https:\/\/www.space.com\/41418-about-us.html#section-affiliate-advertising-disclosure).\n\nClick for next article\n\n![Neil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He is photographed here during the final check of his communications system before the boarding of the Apollo 11 mission. ](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SeCmsTZxUcecHTETKDrhyP.jpg)\n\nNeil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He is photographed here during the final check of his communications system before the boarding of the Apollo 11 mission. (Image credit: NASA)\n\nJump to:\n\n- [Early career and NASA work](https:\/\/www.space.com\/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html#section-early-career-and-nasa-work)\n- [Apollo 11 and the first moonwalk](https:\/\/www.space.com\/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html#section-apollo-11-and-the-first-moonwalk)\n- [After Apollo 11, and Armstrong's death](https:\/\/www.space.com\/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html#section-after-apollo-11-and-armstrong-s-death)\n- [Armstrong's legacy](https:\/\/www.space.com\/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html#section-armstrong-s-legacy)\n- [Additional resources](https:\/\/www.space.com\/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html#section-additional-resources)\n- [Bibliography](https:\/\/www.space.com\/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html#section-bibliography)\n\nShare\n\n- Copy link\n- [Facebook](https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2F15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html)\n- [X](https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Neil+Armstrong%3A+First+man+on+the+moon&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2F15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html)\n- [Whatsapp](whatsapp:\/\/send?text=Neil+Armstrong%3A+First+man+on+the+moon+https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2F15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html?fwa)\n- [Reddit](https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2F15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html&title=Neil+Armstrong%3A+First+man+on+the+moon)\n- [Pinterest](https:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2F15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html&media=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net%2FSeCmsTZxUcecHTETKDrhyP.jpg)\n- [Flipboard](https:\/\/share.flipboard.com\/bookmarklet\/popout?title=Neil+Armstrong%3A+First+man+on+the+moon&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2F15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html)\n- [Email](mailto:?subject=I%20found%20this%20webpage&body=Hi,%20I%20found%20this%20webpage%20and%20thought%20you%20might%20like%20it%20https:\/\/www.space.com\/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html)\n\nShare this article\n\nJoin the conversation\n\n[Follow us](https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=space.com)\n\nAdd us as a preferred source on Google\n\nNewsletter\n\nGet the Space.com Newsletter\n\nBreaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more\\!\n\n***\nBy signing up, you agree to our [Terms of services](https:\\\/\\\/futureplc.com\\\/terms-conditions\\\/)  and acknowledge that you have read our [Privacy Notice](https:\\\/\\\/futureplc.com\\\/privacy-policy\\\/). You also agree to receive marketing emails from us that may include promotions from our trusted partners and sponsors, which you can unsubscribe from at any time.\n\nYou are now subscribed\n\nYour newsletter sign-up was successful\n\n***\nWant to add more newsletters?\n\n![Daily Newsletter](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/vfpcxVDrtfCysGSjzYjeSg.png)\n\nDelivered daily\n\nDaily Newsletter\n\nBreaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more\\!\n\nSubscribe +\n\n![Watch This Space](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/tjzmFi262iKuxrcCtSghKg.jpg)\n\nOnce a month\n\nWatch This Space\n\nSign up to our monthly entertainment newsletter to keep up with all our coverage of the latest sci-fi and space movies, tv shows, games and books.\n\nSubscribe +\n\n![Night Sky This Week](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qsHaEcQ6H695rhBoNZdK5g.jpg)\n\nOnce a week\n\nNight Sky This Week\n\nDiscover this week's must-see night sky events, moon phases, and stunning astrophotos. Sign up for our skywatching newsletter and explore the universe with us\\!\n\nSubscribe +\n\n![Strange New Words](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/Mk2LrCm68RFHzQhNyQaH2Y.jpg)\n\nTwice a month\n\nStrange New Words\n\nSpace.com's Sci-Fi Reader's Club. Read a sci-fi short story every month and join a virtual community of fellow science fiction fans\\!\n\nSubscribe +\n\n***\nAn account already exists for this email address, please log in.\n\nSubscribe to our newsletter\n\nNeil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He famously became the first person to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969 during [Apollo 11](https:\/\/www.space.com\/16758-apollo-11-first-moon-landing.html). Armstrong also flew on NASA's Gemini 8 mission in 1966.\n\nHe retired from [NASA](https:\/\/www.space.com\/17953-nasa-headquarters.html) in 1971 and remained active in the aerospace community, although he chose to keep mostly out of the public spotlight. Armstrong died Aug. 25, 2012, at age 82.\n\nArmstrong was famously reticent about his accomplishments, preferring to focus on the team that helped him get to the [moon](https:\/\/www.space.com\/55-earths-moon-formation-composition-and-orbit.html) rather than his own first steps. \"I guess we all like to be recognized not for one piece of fireworks, but for the ledger of our daily work,\" Armstrong said in an [interview with CBS's \"60 Minutes\"](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rvmFeJu4maU) program in 2005.\n\nArticle continues below\n\nYou may like\n\n- [![A man with gray hair wearing a blue flight suit with a circular NASA logo sits in front of the American and Canadian flags with a microphone in front of him](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/M549GAYpJUairH9w2gPeNM.jpg) 'It's all I think about': Artemis 2 commander Reid Wiseman is zeroed in on historic moon mission](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/its-all-i-think-about-artemis-2-commander-reid-wiseman-is-zeroed-in-on-historic-moon-mission)\n- [![A man with gray hair wearing a blue flight suit with a circular CSA logo answers a question using a microphone on the desk in front of him](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8PPTLLfzbxVevXf87kRjRT.jpg) Making Canadian history: Artemis 2 astronaut Jeremy Hansen is ready for his epic moon mission](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/making-canadian-history-artemis-2-astronaut-jeremy-hansen-is-ready-for-his-epic-moon-mission)\n- [![Artist\\&\\#039;s illustration of Artemis 2 mission including the Orion spacecraft with Earth in background](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/L8exumuVUaJatGHCPDRuQm.jpg) NASA's Artemis 2 mission: Everything you need to know](https:\/\/www.space.com\/artemis-2-humans-moon-orbit)\n\nIn another interview, when asked what it feels like to have his footprints remain on the moon's surface for thousands of years, Armstrong said, \"I kind of hope that somebody goes up there one of these days and cleans them up,\" [The Independent](https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/people\/news\/neil-armstrong-one-of-the-greatest-american-heroes-of-all-time-8081425.html) reported.\n\n**Related:** [Apollo landers, Neil Armstrong’s bootprint and other human artifacts on moon officially protected by new US law](https:\/\/www.space.com\/apollo-landers-neil-armstrongs-bootprint-and-other-human-artifacts-on-moon-officially-protected-by-new-us-law)\n\n[Click here for more Space.com videos...](https:\/\/videos.space.com\/m\/5O62kx7D\/neil-armstrong-explorer-pioneer-and-american-hero?list=9wzCTV4g)\n\n### Early career and NASA work\nArmstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, on Aug. 5, 1930, to Stephen Koenig Armstrong and Viola Louise Engel.\n\nNeil was a naval aviator from 1949 to 1952 and served in the Korean War. He earned his bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University in 1955. (Many years later, after he became world-famous, he also received a master of science in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California in 1970.)\n\nGet the Space.com Newsletter\n\nBreaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more\\!\n\nBy signing up, you agree to our [Terms of services](https:\\\/\\\/futureplc.com\\\/terms-conditions\\\/)  and acknowledge that you have read our [Privacy Notice](https:\\\/\\\/futureplc.com\\\/privacy-policy\\\/). You also agree to receive marketing emails from us that may include promotions from our trusted partners and sponsors, which you can unsubscribe from at any time.\n\nArmstrong became a test pilot for NASA (then known as NACA, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) and flew the X-15, a rocket-powered, missile-shaped aircraft that tested the limits of high-altitude flight. During his long career as a pilot, Armstrong flew more than 200 different aircraft, from jets to gliders and even helicopters.\n\n[![NASA test pilot Neil Armstrong is seen here next to the X-15 ship \\#1 after a research flight.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FavgG5SERGodBS9WngXGKN.jpg)]()\n\nNASA test pilot Neil Armstrong is seen here next to the X-15 ship \\#1 after a research flight. (Image credit: NASA)\n\nIn 1962, Armstrong was selected to be part of NASA's second group of astronauts, who flew on the two-seat [Gemini missions](https:\/\/www.space.com\/24655-project-gemini.html) to test out space technology, and the three-seat Apollo missions that ultimately took 12 people to the surface of the moon. Armstrong's first flight was as command pilot of the Gemini 8 mission in March 1966 — the sixth crewed mission of that series.\n\nArmstrong and pilot David Scott completed the first orbital docking of two spacecraft, joining their Gemini 8 spacecraft to an uncrewed Agena target vehicle. However, the two-man crew experienced a serious problem when a thruster on the Gemini 8 spacecraft became stuck open. With the astronauts whipping around faster than one revolution per second, Armstrong managed to gain control again by using the re-entry system thrusters. The event was the first serious emergency in space and although the mission ultimately ended safely, the spacecraft was forced to splash down early because the re-entry system was already expended.\n\nWhat to read next\n\n- [![NASA rolls out the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis 2 moon mission on Jan. 17, 2026.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/YyjM33WKW7nZjhiGiozANN.jpg) NASA to fly piece of Wright Brothers' plane on Artemis 2 moon mission](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/human-spaceflight\/nasa-to-fly-piece-of-wright-brothers-plane-on-artemis-2-moon-mission)\n- [![The Artemis 2 crew poses in front of an Orion simulator Jan. 23, 2026 at NASA\\&\\#039;s Johnson Space Center in Houston. From left: Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen and Victor Glover.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/pzTAAG8vKmH5mikB5q2aNd.jpg) 'We're all on this journey together:' Who are the Artemis 2 astronauts launching to the moon?](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/were-all-on-this-journey-together-who-are-the-artemis-2-astronauts-launching-to-the-moon)\n- [![A bald man wearing a blue flight suit with the NASA meatball logo and American flag on it speaks into a microphone sitting behind a large desk with a gray background behind him.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/48WRoyPEN3FbbsLc5tRs5N.jpg) 'We work for them, too': Artemis 2 moon mission is for everyone, NASA astronaut Victor Glover says (video)](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/we-work-for-them-too-artemis-2-moon-mission-is-for-everyone-nasa-astronaut-victor-glover-says-video)\n\nArmstrong also narrowly avoided a nasty accident in May 1968, this time within [Earth's atmosphere](https:\/\/www.space.com\/17683-earth-atmosphere.html), while flying the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle — a machine that could fly somewhat like a lunar module and simulate landings on the moon. Fuel for the attitude thrusters ran out and Armstrong was forced to eject just seconds before the vehicle crashed, [NASA reported](https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/50-years-ago-armstrong-survives-training-crash). Armstrong escaped unharmed.\n\n[![Commander Neil Armstrong (right) and pilot David R. Scott prepare to board the Gemini-Titan 8. Gemini VIII successfully launched at 11:41 a.m. EST, March 16, 1966. The mission conducted the first docking of two spacecraft in orbit and landed safely back on Earth after an emergency abort.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/PDdA2P8tW448HeqoBRiHrJ.jpg)]()\n\nCommander Neil Armstrong (right) and pilot David R. Scott prepare to board the Gemini-Titan 8. Gemini VIII successfully launched at 11:41 a.m. EST, March 16, 1966. The mission conducted the first docking of two spacecraft in orbit and landed safely back on Earth after an emergency abort. (Image credit: NASA)\n### Apollo 11 and the first moonwalk\nThe Apollo 11 crew members were announced to the public in January 1969. NASA's chief of the Astronaut Office, Donald Kent \"Deke\" Slayton, chose an all-veteran team of Neil Armstrong (Gemini 8), Edwin [\"Buzz\" Aldrin](https:\/\/www.space.com\/16280-buzz-aldrin.html) (Gemini 12) and [Michael Collins](https:\/\/www.space.com\/16971-michael-collins-apollo-11.html) (Gemini 10), with Armstrong selected to command the mission. His responsibilities included landing on the moon alongside Aldrin, the pilot of the lunar module Eagle. Collins would remain in lunar orbit aboard the command module Columbia. (Collins was originally supposed to be backup pilot for Apollo 11, but his spot in the flight sequence was moved after required surgery on his back forced him off the prime crew for Apollo 8.)\n\nAs the lander approached the moon, Armstrong took over the controls when he saw that the computer was guiding them to a boulder-filled landing zone. At 4:14 p.m. EDT (2014 GMT), Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon, with only 25 seconds of fuel left. Armstrong radioed, \"Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.\" Capsule communicator and astronaut Charles Duke responded from Earth: \"Roger … Tranquility, we copy you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again. Thanks a lot.\"\n\nThe schedule called for the astronauts to sleep before the first moonwalk, but they elected to go outside early because they felt they would not be able to sleep. In view of a black-and-white television camera transmitting his movements live to Earth, Armstrong descended Eagle's lander and touched his left foot upon the surface at 10:56 p.m. EDT July 20 (0256 GMT July 21). His first words were \"That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.\" (The \"a\" was lost to radio static, but later [analysis of the sound wave](http:\/\/www.collectspace.com\/news\/news-100306a.html) showed that Armstrong did say it.)\n\n[Click here for more Space.com videos...](https:\/\/videos.space.com\/m\/SMuUGm3e\/watch-apollo-11-moonwalk-highlights-in-archive-video?list=9wzCTV4g)\n\nArmstrong and Aldrin together explored the surface during a moonwalk that lasted 2 hours and 36 minutes. They collected 48.5 pounds (22 kilograms) of material from the surface — including 50 moon rocks — as well as deploying experiments, planting the U.S. flag and taking a moment to speak with the U.S. president at the time, Richard Nixon.\n\nThe Eagle's crew lifted off safely from the moon on July 21, docked with Columbia, and voyaged back to Earth for a successful ocean landing on July 24. The astronauts went into quarantine to mitigate the (unlikely) risk that they were carrying some sort of moon germs back with them, and then embarked on a world tour to celebrate the mission.\n\n### After Apollo 11, and Armstrong's death\nAfter his time as an astronaut, Armstrong was deputy associate administrator for aeronautics at [NASA headquarters](https:\/\/www.space.com\/17953-nasa-headquarters.html). He resigned from NASA in 1971. From 1971 to 1979, he was a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati. Then from 1982 to 1992, Armstrong was chairman of Computing Technologies for Aviation Inc. in Charlottesville, Virginia. Armstrong also participated in the Rogers Commission, which was a presidential commission tasked to look at the causes and events of the fatal [Challenger shuttle](https:\/\/www.space.com\/18084-space-shuttle-challenger.html) explosion of Jan. 28, 1986, that killed seven astronauts.\n\nArmstrong chose to mostly stay out of the spotlight after leaving NASA, although he did reappear periodically for interviews or for anniversary events concerning Apollo 11. Although his public statements were few, he followed spaceflight news and occasionally made public comments on what was happening. He remained a vocal supporter of suborbital spaceflight. On the other hand, the former Apollo astronaut was publicly [critical of plans](https:\/\/www.space.com\/14954-elon-musk-spacex-spaceflight-revolution.html) to shift crewed spaceflight from NASA to private spacecraft.\n\nOn Aug. 7, 2012 — two days after Armstrong turned 82 years old — the famed moonwalker underwent coronary bypass surgery. Complications from the surgery resulted in his death on Aug. 25.\n\n[Click here for more Space.com videos...](https:\/\/videos.space.com\/m\/inhV8gS5\/gold-medal-honor-glenn-and-armstrong-speeches?list=9wzCTV4g)\n\n\"Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend,\" his family wrote on the website neilarmstronginfo.com. \"For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request,\" they added. \"Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink.\"\n\n[Tributes poured in](https:\/\/www.space.com\/17301-neil-armstrong-dies-reactions-nasa.html) from many public figures, including President Barack Obama, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, then-NASA administrator Charles Bolden, Apollo 11 crewmates Aldrin and Collins, and various space representatives in the public, private and nonprofit spheres.\n\n\"Neil was among the greatest of American heroes — not just of his time, but of all time,\" [Obama's statement read](https:\/\/obamawhitehouse.archives.gov\/the-press-office\/2012\/08\/25\/statement-president-passing-neil-armstrong). \"When he and his fellow crew members lifted off aboard Apollo 11 in 1969, they carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation. They set out to show the world that the American spirit can see beyond what seems unimaginable — that with enough drive and ingenuity, anything is possible.\"\n\nA [private memorial service](https:\/\/www.space.com\/17414-neil-armstrong-memorial-service-photos.html) for Armstrong was held Aug. 31, 2012, at the Camargo Club in Cincinnati. Two weeks later, a [publicly televised memorial service](https:\/\/www.space.com\/17579-neil-armstrong-memorial-service-national-cathedral-pictures.html) was held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.\n\nArmstrong was [buried at sea](https:\/\/www.space.com\/17614-neil-armstrong-remains-buried-at-sea.html) Sept. 14, 2012, in a ceremony aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea. Armstrong's family was on board when the ship left port in Mayport, Florida, and they released his ashes somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. Obama ordered flags around the United States to fly at half-staff on the day of the funeral.\n\n### Armstrong's legacy\nIn 2015, the Smithsonian Institution revealed that Armstrong had kept aside a [cloth bag full of small parts](https:\/\/www.space.com\/28491-neil-armstrong-purse-apollo11-artifacts.html) from the lunar module Eagle, which lay undiscovered for decades until his widow, Carol, found it. While Armstrong made no mention of this bag in decades of interviews, the bag was discussed a few times during the mission.\n\nIt is unknown how Armstrong ultimately gained possession of the bag, but it was common during the Apollo years for astronauts to retain souvenirs of their flights. (A month after Armstrong's death, Obama made legal a bill to allow Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts to retain legal title to these mementos.) Former \"Mythbusters\" host Adam Savage subsequently created a [carry bag based on the design](https:\/\/www.space.com\/38975-adam-savage-apollo-astronaut-purse-bag.html) of Armstrong's \"purse\"; the design was actually used in several Apollo missions before and after Apollo 11.\n\nOn Jul. 21, 2009, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin attended the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 Astronauts at the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill. During the ceremony, the committee presented the astronauts with a copy of House Resolution 607 honoring their achievements and announced the passage of legislation awarding them and [John Glenn](https:\/\/www.space.com\/17263-john-glenn-astronaut-biography.html) the Congressional Gold Medal.\n\n[![Apollo 11 Astronauts, from left, Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden attend the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 Astronauts.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SrSSB3kfLNmpuoDtHjqmJR.jpg)]()\n\nApollo 11 Astronauts, from left, Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden attend the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 Astronauts. (Image credit: NASA\/Bill Ingalls)\n\nIn a 2013 BBC documentary, Armstrong's brother, Dean, said that he knew of the [famous first words on the moon](https:\/\/www.space.com\/19096-neil-armstrong-first-words-moon.html) several months before Apollo 11 touched down. Dean reported that Armstrong passed him a handwritten note as the brothers played a late-night game of Risk, according to British newspaper the Telegraph. However, Dean's remarks contradicted many statements by Armstrong himself, who said that the words didn't come to him until he arrived on the moon. The other Apollo 11 astronauts have also backed up Armstrong's assertions.\n\nIn 2017, a rare [gold lunar model was stolen](https:\/\/www.space.com\/37672-armstrong-museum-gold-lunar-model-stolen.html) from the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta. \"Entry to the museum was discovered and taken was a solid gold replica of the 1969 Lunar Excursion Module that landed on the moon,\" Russel Hunlock, Wapakoneta police chief, said in a release. \"The piece is very rare as it was presented to Neil Armstrong in Paris, France, shortly after the moon landing.\"\n\nOn Oct. 12, 2018, Universal Pictures released a Neil Armstrong biography based on James R. Hansen's book \"First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong.\" The movie starred Ryan Gosling as Armstrong. The movie was embroiled in political controversy because the filmmakers decided not to include a scene where Armstrong plants an American flag on the moon's surface, despite the fact that Armstrong did so in reality. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, tweeted, \"This is total lunacy. And a disservice at a time when our people need reminders of what we can achieve when we work together.\"\n\nAt the Venice Film Festival Gosling defended the filmmaker's choice, reported [The Telegraph](https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/films\/2018\/08\/29\/first-man-neil-armstrong-film-fails-fly-flag-us-patriotism\/), saying, \"I think \\[the moon landing\\] was widely regarded in the end as a human achievement \\[and\\] that's how we chose to view it.\"\n\nOn Aug. 11, 2021, NASA [dedicated the Ohio test facility to Neil Armstrong](https:\/\/www.space.com\/nasa-armstrong-test-facility-dedication). Armstrong had graciously declined the honor when he was originally asked, but on Wednesday (Aug. 11), nine years after Armstrong died and a week after what would have been his 91st birthday, a group of NASA officials and members of Congress gathered at a small dedication ceremony in Sandusky, Ohio. NASA’s Plum Brook Station is now known as The Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility.\n\n### Additional resources\nYou can explore 50 Neil Armstrong facts with this article from [Facts.net](https:\/\/facts.net\/neil-armstrong-facts\/) or read about Armstrong's life and dreams of space travel [in this book](https:\/\/target.georiot.com\/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FFirst-Man-Life-Neil-Armstrong%2Fdp%2F1501153064%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fcrid%3DBJQQ16ZWQ4NQ%26keywords%3Dneil%2Barmstrong%26qid%3D1642694717%26sprefix%3Dneil%2Barmstron%252Caps%252C179%26sr%3D8-1%26tag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dspace-us-1446214909360681650-20) by James R. Hansen. Discover more about Armstrong in [this informative article](https:\/\/airandspace.si.edu\/stories\/editorial\/remembering-neil-armstrong) published by the Air and Space Museum.\n\n### Bibliography\n- Sylvia Doughty Fries “[NASA Engineers and the Age of Apollo](https:\/\/history.nasa.gov\/SP-4104.pdf)”, The NASA History Series.\n- Hansen, James R. “[First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong](https:\/\/books.google.co.uk\/books?hl=en&lr=&id=rMS6JFuLgx4C&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=neil+armstrong&ots=f4AULOszmw&sig=O9UZ5A95vIMcGVWCqVAgVtKbR_I&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=neil%20armstrong&f=false)”. Simon and Schuster, 2012.\n\n**Share your thoughts**\n\n0\n\n0\n\n0\n\n0\n\nRandom QuizPlay a Random Quiz\n\nFilter by Category\n\nJoin the community\n\nJoin the Space.com Family! The best way to keep in touch and to be informed of our latest quizzes and competitions, as well as news and offers.\n\nI'm in\\!\n\nNot right now\n\nAlready have an account? Log in\n\nThis page will close automatically once you have completed the authorisation process\n\nMy Details\n\nUpdate your details below...\n\nKeep in the Know\n\nWould you like to be kept informed about new quizzes and offers from Future and its partners?\n\nOK\n\nValidate Your Mobile No.\n\nWe have sent a code to . Please enter it below to verify your account.\n\nUpdate Your Mobile No.\n\nYou may enter a new mobile number below. You will be sent a verification code to the phone number you provide.\n\nembed-reactions.hint\\_heading\n\nembed-reactions.hint\\_subheading\n\nValidate Your Email Address\n\nWe have sent a code to . Please enter it below to verify your account.\n\nUpdate Your Email Address\n\nYou may enter a new email address below. You will be sent a verification code to the address you provide.\n\nCreate a Username\n\nThis will be publicly viewable so make it something you like\\!\n\nReset your password\n\nEnter your email address below. If it is registered with us, we will email you a code that will allow you to reset your password.\n\nCheck your inbox\n\nIf your email address was found in our system, you should receive an email in the next few minutes containing a code. Enter that code below to reset your password.\n\nSet new password\n\nPlease enter your new password below.\n\nLeaderboard\n\n| Rank | Player | Score | Time |\n|---|---|---|---|\n\nLog In or Register\n\nMore Quizzes\n\nLog Out\n\n![Elizabeth Howell](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/RU2kJRoTDQkePFeSZBNxHF.jpg)\n\n[Elizabeth Howell](https:\/\/www.space.com\/author\/elizabeth-howell)\n\nContributing Writer\n\nElizabeth Howell (she\/her), Ph.D., was a staff writer in the spaceflight channel between 2022 and 2024 specializing in Canadian space news. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years from 2012 to 2024. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House, leading world coverage about a lost-and-found space tomato on the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, \"Why Am I Taller?\" (ECW Press, 2022) is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams.\n\nRead more\n\n[![A man with gray hair wearing a blue flight suit with a circular NASA logo sits in front of the American and Canadian flags with a microphone in front of him](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/M549GAYpJUairH9w2gPeNM.jpg) Artemis 'It's all I think about': Artemis 2 commander Reid Wiseman is zeroed in on historic moon mission](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/its-all-i-think-about-artemis-2-commander-reid-wiseman-is-zeroed-in-on-historic-moon-mission \"'It's all I think about': Artemis 2 commander Reid Wiseman is zeroed in on historic moon mission\")\n\n[![A man with gray hair wearing a blue flight suit with a circular CSA logo answers a question using a microphone on the desk in front of him](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/8PPTLLfzbxVevXf87kRjRT.jpg) Artemis Making Canadian history: Artemis 2 astronaut Jeremy Hansen is ready for his epic moon mission](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/making-canadian-history-artemis-2-astronaut-jeremy-hansen-is-ready-for-his-epic-moon-mission \"Making Canadian history: Artemis 2 astronaut Jeremy Hansen is ready for his epic moon mission\")\n\n[![Artist\\&\\#039;s illustration of Artemis 2 mission including the Orion spacecraft with Earth in background](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/L8exumuVUaJatGHCPDRuQm.jpg) Artemis NASA's Artemis 2 mission: Everything you need to know](https:\/\/www.space.com\/artemis-2-humans-moon-orbit \"NASA's Artemis 2 mission: Everything you need to know\")\n\n[![NASA rolls out the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis 2 moon mission on Jan. 17, 2026.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/YyjM33WKW7nZjhiGiozANN.jpg) Human Spaceflight NASA to fly piece of Wright Brothers' plane on Artemis 2 moon mission](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/human-spaceflight\/nasa-to-fly-piece-of-wright-brothers-plane-on-artemis-2-moon-mission \"NASA to fly piece of Wright Brothers' plane on Artemis 2 moon mission\")\n\n[![The Artemis 2 crew poses in front of an Orion simulator Jan. 23, 2026 at NASA\\&\\#039;s Johnson Space Center in Houston. From left: Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen and Victor Glover.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/pzTAAG8vKmH5mikB5q2aNd.jpg) Artemis 'We're all on this journey together:' Who are the Artemis 2 astronauts launching to the moon?](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/were-all-on-this-journey-together-who-are-the-artemis-2-astronauts-launching-to-the-moon \"'We're all on this journey together:' Who are the Artemis 2 astronauts launching to the moon?\")\n\n[![A bald man wearing a blue flight suit with the NASA meatball logo and American flag on it speaks into a microphone sitting behind a large desk with a gray background behind him.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/48WRoyPEN3FbbsLc5tRs5N.jpg) Artemis 'We work for them, too': Artemis 2 moon mission is for everyone, NASA astronaut Victor Glover says (video)](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/we-work-for-them-too-artemis-2-moon-mission-is-for-everyone-nasa-astronaut-victor-glover-says-video \"'We work for them, too': Artemis 2 moon mission is for everyone, NASA astronaut Victor Glover says (video)\")\n\nLatest in The moon\n\n[![An astronaut standing next to a car-like vehicle on the moon.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/BSy7oPssQYXkoHvW5h3VDE.jpg) The moon Future Artemis missions could use fiber-optic cables to monitor moonquakes](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/moon\/future-artemis-missions-could-use-fiber-optic-cables-to-monitor-moonquakes \"Future Artemis missions could use fiber-optic cables to monitor moonquakes\")\n\n[![a man in a blue suit behind a microphone in a wood paneled room](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/hSSUrJT8TxCPtFPS4cJ2B5.jpg) The moon US lawmakers call for a permanent moon base. Will it ever happen?](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/moon\/us-lawmakers-call-for-a-permanent-moon-base-will-it-ever-happen \"US lawmakers call for a permanent moon base. Will it ever happen?\")\n\n[![Two astronauts in white spacesuits stand on either side of a red flag, standing in the center on the moon\\&\\#039;s surface. On the left, a moon lander with two circular solar panels. On the right, a moon rover.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/g5F6yzNmAcHeAen4TFxNWg.jpg) The moon China's 1st moon astronauts could land in Rimae Bode, a 'geological museum' on the lunar near side](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/moon\/china-first-astronaut-moon-landing-mission-rimae-bode \"China's 1st moon astronauts could land in Rimae Bode, a 'geological museum' on the lunar near side\")\n\n[![A visualization of an astronaut photographing a plant with Earth in the background.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/ssV7CrKkv6tE4kB69GxnDh.jpg) The moon Making hummus on the moon? Scientists just grew chickpeas in simulated lunar dirt](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/moon\/making-hummus-on-the-moon-scientists-just-grew-chickpeas-in-simulated-lunar-dirt \"Making hummus on the moon? Scientists just grew chickpeas in simulated lunar dirt\")\n\n[![A view of a cratered gray surface.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/GsBogtTL6qzJp3EM7JkZjC.jpg) The moon Apollo moon rocks may have finally solved an old lunar mystery](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/moon\/apollo-moon-rocks-may-have-finally-solved-an-old-lunar-mystery \"Apollo moon rocks may have finally solved an old lunar mystery\")\n\n[![The first image from the surface of the moon, taken by the Soviet Union\\&\\#039;s Luna 9 spacecraft in 1966.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/QfwSBAmFxCmwPN44kprRRg.jpg) The moon AI helps find new clues in the 60-year search for Luna 9, the 1st successful moon lander](https:\/\/www.space.com\/astronomy\/moon\/ai-helps-find-new-clues-in-the-60-year-search-for-luna-9-the-1st-successful-moon-lander \"AI helps find new clues in the 60-year search for Luna 9, the 1st successful moon lander\")\n\nLatest in References\n\n[![Project Hail Mary book cover shown in front of a screenshot of the Project Hail Mary movie.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/R6pCKZvbqBeAPNPZvruDtF.jpg) Space Books Love Project Hail Mary? 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Left: GLaDOS from Portal, Middle: Cortana from Halo, Right: SHODAN from System Shock.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FfxRqNtHqoEova9orXkQ4X.jpg) Space Games Best AI games… as in games about AI, not slop made by AI](https:\/\/www.space.com\/entertainment\/space-games\/best-ai-games-as-in-games-about-ai-not-slop-made-by-ai \"Best AI games… as in games about AI, not slop made by AI\")\n\n[![Screenshot from the sci-fi video game The Expanse: Osiris Reborn.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/DuKgLSxcuJm4TuMQE8gPEe.jpg) Space Games The Expanse: Osiris Reborn: Release date rumors, gameplay, & everything else we know about this sci-fi RPG](https:\/\/www.space.com\/entertainment\/space-games\/the-expanse-osiris-reborn-release-date-rumors-gameplay-and-everything-else-we-know-about-this-sci-fi-rpg \"The Expanse: Osiris Reborn: Release date rumors, gameplay, & everything else we know about this sci-fi RPG\")\n\n[![a close-up of two gloved hands holding a tube full of grey rocky dust in a clean room](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/6qH6hGLT5YbqJyMkT2P4AD.jpg) Human Spaceflight Is it legal to own, buy, or sell Apollo mission moon rocks and lunar samples?](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/human-spaceflight\/is-it-legal-to-own-buy-or-sell-apollo-mission-moon-rocks-and-lunar-samples \"Is it legal to own, buy, or sell Apollo mission moon rocks and lunar samples? \")\n\n[![Three sci-fi couples kissing: Peter Quill \\&amp; Gamora, Han Solo \\&amp; Leia, and Nurse Chapel \\&amp; Spock](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/H7cVHj3rhDjqbYimbms8PP.jpg) Space Movies & Shows The 8 best sci-fi couples to emulate this Valentine's Day](https:\/\/www.space.com\/entertainment\/space-movies-shows\/best-sci-fi-couples \"The 8 best sci-fi couples to emulate this Valentine's Day\")\n\n[![Hero art for Halo: Campaign Evolved, the remake of Halo: Combat Evolved.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/35Das3N4fRZYLKCqwiyaud.jpg) Space Games Halo: Campaign Evolved: Release date rumors, platforms, and everything else we know about the Halo remake](https:\/\/www.space.com\/entertainment\/space-games\/halo-campaign-evolved-release-date-rumors-platforms-and-everything-else-we-know-about-the-halo-remake \"Halo: Campaign Evolved: Release date rumors, platforms, and everything else we know about the Halo remake\")\n\nMORE FROM SPACE...\n\n1. [![a black and white rocket launches into a blue sky](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/qq9vADNcmrGokKQ3u2cQD8.jpg)](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/launches-spacecraft\/spacex-transporter-16-rideshare-mission-launch \"Watch SpaceX launch 119 payloads to orbit from California early on March 30\")\n   \n   1\n   \n   [Watch SpaceX launch 119 payloads to orbit from California early on March 30](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/launches-spacecraft\/spacex-transporter-16-rideshare-mission-launch)\n2. 2\n   \n   ['We are ready': NASA still on track to launch Artemis 2 astronauts to the moon April 1](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/missions\/we-are-ready-nasa-still-on-track-to-launch-artemis-2-astronauts-to-the-moon-april-1)\n3. 3\n   \n   ['Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War 4': Release date, plot, factions, & everything else we know about the upcoming 40K strategy game](https:\/\/www.space.com\/entertainment\/space-games\/warhammer-40-000-dawn-of-war-4-release-date-plot-factions-and-everything-else-we-know-about-the-upcoming-40k-strategy-game)\n4. 4\n   \n   [Kristen Stewart will play Sally Ride, the 1st American woman in space, as Amazon finally greenlights mini-series 'The Challenger'](https:\/\/www.space.com\/entertainment\/space-movies-shows\/kristen-stewart-will-play-sally-ride-the-1st-american-woman-in-space-as-amazon-finally-greenlights-mini-series-the-challenger)\n5. 5\n   \n   [NASA's Artemis 2 moon astronauts are 'fortunate' to have a private space toilet — Apollo crews pooped in plastic bags](https:\/\/www.space.com\/space-exploration\/artemis\/nasas-artemis-2-moon-astronauts-are-fortunate-to-have-a-private-space-toilet-apollo-crews-pooped-in-plastic-bags)\n\nSpace is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. 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Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.\n\nClose\n\nPlease login or signup to comment\n\nPlease wait...\n\nLogin\n\nSign Up","attrs_readable_markdown":"![Neil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He is photographed here during the final check of his communications system before the boarding of the Apollo 11 mission. ](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SeCmsTZxUcecHTETKDrhyP.jpg)\n\nNeil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He is photographed here during the final check of his communications system before the boarding of the Apollo 11 mission. (Image credit: NASA)\n\nNeil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He famously became the first person to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969 during [Apollo 11](https:\/\/www.space.com\/16758-apollo-11-first-moon-landing.html). Armstrong also flew on NASA's Gemini 8 mission in 1966.\n\nHe retired from [NASA](https:\/\/www.space.com\/17953-nasa-headquarters.html) in 1971 and remained active in the aerospace community, although he chose to keep mostly out of the public spotlight. Armstrong died Aug. 25, 2012, at age 82.\n\nArmstrong was famously reticent about his accomplishments, preferring to focus on the team that helped him get to the [moon](https:\/\/www.space.com\/55-earths-moon-formation-composition-and-orbit.html) rather than his own first steps. \"I guess we all like to be recognized not for one piece of fireworks, but for the ledger of our daily work,\" Armstrong said in an [interview with CBS's \"60 Minutes\"](https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rvmFeJu4maU) program in 2005.\n\nArticle continues below\n\nIn another interview, when asked what it feels like to have his footprints remain on the moon's surface for thousands of years, Armstrong said, \"I kind of hope that somebody goes up there one of these days and cleans them up,\" [The Independent](https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/people\/news\/neil-armstrong-one-of-the-greatest-american-heroes-of-all-time-8081425.html) reported.\n\n**Related:** [Apollo landers, Neil Armstrong’s bootprint and other human artifacts on moon officially protected by new US law](https:\/\/www.space.com\/apollo-landers-neil-armstrongs-bootprint-and-other-human-artifacts-on-moon-officially-protected-by-new-us-law)\n\n### Early career and NASA work\nArmstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, on Aug. 5, 1930, to Stephen Koenig Armstrong and Viola Louise Engel.\n\nNeil was a naval aviator from 1949 to 1952 and served in the Korean War. He earned his bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University in 1955. (Many years later, after he became world-famous, he also received a master of science in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California in 1970.)\n\nBreaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more\\!\n\nArmstrong became a test pilot for NASA (then known as NACA, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) and flew the X-15, a rocket-powered, missile-shaped aircraft that tested the limits of high-altitude flight. During his long career as a pilot, Armstrong flew more than 200 different aircraft, from jets to gliders and even helicopters.\n\n[![NASA test pilot Neil Armstrong is seen here next to the X-15 ship \\#1 after a research flight.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/FavgG5SERGodBS9WngXGKN.jpg)]()\n\nNASA test pilot Neil Armstrong is seen here next to the X-15 ship \\#1 after a research flight. (Image credit: NASA)\n\nIn 1962, Armstrong was selected to be part of NASA's second group of astronauts, who flew on the two-seat [Gemini missions](https:\/\/www.space.com\/24655-project-gemini.html) to test out space technology, and the three-seat Apollo missions that ultimately took 12 people to the surface of the moon. Armstrong's first flight was as command pilot of the Gemini 8 mission in March 1966 — the sixth crewed mission of that series.\n\nArmstrong and pilot David Scott completed the first orbital docking of two spacecraft, joining their Gemini 8 spacecraft to an uncrewed Agena target vehicle. However, the two-man crew experienced a serious problem when a thruster on the Gemini 8 spacecraft became stuck open. With the astronauts whipping around faster than one revolution per second, Armstrong managed to gain control again by using the re-entry system thrusters. The event was the first serious emergency in space and although the mission ultimately ended safely, the spacecraft was forced to splash down early because the re-entry system was already expended.\n\nArmstrong also narrowly avoided a nasty accident in May 1968, this time within [Earth's atmosphere](https:\/\/www.space.com\/17683-earth-atmosphere.html), while flying the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle — a machine that could fly somewhat like a lunar module and simulate landings on the moon. Fuel for the attitude thrusters ran out and Armstrong was forced to eject just seconds before the vehicle crashed, [NASA reported](https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/50-years-ago-armstrong-survives-training-crash). Armstrong escaped unharmed.\n\n[![Commander Neil Armstrong (right) and pilot David R. Scott prepare to board the Gemini-Titan 8. Gemini VIII successfully launched at 11:41 a.m. EST, March 16, 1966. The mission conducted the first docking of two spacecraft in orbit and landed safely back on Earth after an emergency abort.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/PDdA2P8tW448HeqoBRiHrJ.jpg)]()\n\nCommander Neil Armstrong (right) and pilot David R. Scott prepare to board the Gemini-Titan 8. Gemini VIII successfully launched at 11:41 a.m. EST, March 16, 1966. The mission conducted the first docking of two spacecraft in orbit and landed safely back on Earth after an emergency abort. (Image credit: NASA)\n### Apollo 11 and the first moonwalk\nThe Apollo 11 crew members were announced to the public in January 1969. NASA's chief of the Astronaut Office, Donald Kent \"Deke\" Slayton, chose an all-veteran team of Neil Armstrong (Gemini 8), Edwin [\"Buzz\" Aldrin](https:\/\/www.space.com\/16280-buzz-aldrin.html) (Gemini 12) and [Michael Collins](https:\/\/www.space.com\/16971-michael-collins-apollo-11.html) (Gemini 10), with Armstrong selected to command the mission. His responsibilities included landing on the moon alongside Aldrin, the pilot of the lunar module Eagle. Collins would remain in lunar orbit aboard the command module Columbia. (Collins was originally supposed to be backup pilot for Apollo 11, but his spot in the flight sequence was moved after required surgery on his back forced him off the prime crew for Apollo 8.)\n\nAs the lander approached the moon, Armstrong took over the controls when he saw that the computer was guiding them to a boulder-filled landing zone. At 4:14 p.m. EDT (2014 GMT), Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon, with only 25 seconds of fuel left. Armstrong radioed, \"Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.\" Capsule communicator and astronaut Charles Duke responded from Earth: \"Roger … Tranquility, we copy you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again. Thanks a lot.\"\n\nThe schedule called for the astronauts to sleep before the first moonwalk, but they elected to go outside early because they felt they would not be able to sleep. In view of a black-and-white television camera transmitting his movements live to Earth, Armstrong descended Eagle's lander and touched his left foot upon the surface at 10:56 p.m. EDT July 20 (0256 GMT July 21). His first words were \"That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.\" (The \"a\" was lost to radio static, but later [analysis of the sound wave](http:\/\/www.collectspace.com\/news\/news-100306a.html) showed that Armstrong did say it.)\n\nArmstrong and Aldrin together explored the surface during a moonwalk that lasted 2 hours and 36 minutes. They collected 48.5 pounds (22 kilograms) of material from the surface — including 50 moon rocks — as well as deploying experiments, planting the U.S. flag and taking a moment to speak with the U.S. president at the time, Richard Nixon.\n\nThe Eagle's crew lifted off safely from the moon on July 21, docked with Columbia, and voyaged back to Earth for a successful ocean landing on July 24. The astronauts went into quarantine to mitigate the (unlikely) risk that they were carrying some sort of moon germs back with them, and then embarked on a world tour to celebrate the mission.\n\n### After Apollo 11, and Armstrong's death\nAfter his time as an astronaut, Armstrong was deputy associate administrator for aeronautics at [NASA headquarters](https:\/\/www.space.com\/17953-nasa-headquarters.html). He resigned from NASA in 1971. From 1971 to 1979, he was a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati. Then from 1982 to 1992, Armstrong was chairman of Computing Technologies for Aviation Inc. in Charlottesville, Virginia. Armstrong also participated in the Rogers Commission, which was a presidential commission tasked to look at the causes and events of the fatal [Challenger shuttle](https:\/\/www.space.com\/18084-space-shuttle-challenger.html) explosion of Jan. 28, 1986, that killed seven astronauts.\n\nArmstrong chose to mostly stay out of the spotlight after leaving NASA, although he did reappear periodically for interviews or for anniversary events concerning Apollo 11. Although his public statements were few, he followed spaceflight news and occasionally made public comments on what was happening. He remained a vocal supporter of suborbital spaceflight. On the other hand, the former Apollo astronaut was publicly [critical of plans](https:\/\/www.space.com\/14954-elon-musk-spacex-spaceflight-revolution.html) to shift crewed spaceflight from NASA to private spacecraft.\n\nOn Aug. 7, 2012 — two days after Armstrong turned 82 years old — the famed moonwalker underwent coronary bypass surgery. Complications from the surgery resulted in his death on Aug. 25.\n\n\"Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend,\" his family wrote on the website neilarmstronginfo.com. \"For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request,\" they added. \"Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink.\"\n\n[Tributes poured in](https:\/\/www.space.com\/17301-neil-armstrong-dies-reactions-nasa.html) from many public figures, including President Barack Obama, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, then-NASA administrator Charles Bolden, Apollo 11 crewmates Aldrin and Collins, and various space representatives in the public, private and nonprofit spheres.\n\n\"Neil was among the greatest of American heroes — not just of his time, but of all time,\" [Obama's statement read](https:\/\/obamawhitehouse.archives.gov\/the-press-office\/2012\/08\/25\/statement-president-passing-neil-armstrong). \"When he and his fellow crew members lifted off aboard Apollo 11 in 1969, they carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation. They set out to show the world that the American spirit can see beyond what seems unimaginable — that with enough drive and ingenuity, anything is possible.\"\n\nA [private memorial service](https:\/\/www.space.com\/17414-neil-armstrong-memorial-service-photos.html) for Armstrong was held Aug. 31, 2012, at the Camargo Club in Cincinnati. Two weeks later, a [publicly televised memorial service](https:\/\/www.space.com\/17579-neil-armstrong-memorial-service-national-cathedral-pictures.html) was held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.\n\nArmstrong was [buried at sea](https:\/\/www.space.com\/17614-neil-armstrong-remains-buried-at-sea.html) Sept. 14, 2012, in a ceremony aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea. Armstrong's family was on board when the ship left port in Mayport, Florida, and they released his ashes somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. Obama ordered flags around the United States to fly at half-staff on the day of the funeral.\n\n### Armstrong's legacy\nIn 2015, the Smithsonian Institution revealed that Armstrong had kept aside a [cloth bag full of small parts](https:\/\/www.space.com\/28491-neil-armstrong-purse-apollo11-artifacts.html) from the lunar module Eagle, which lay undiscovered for decades until his widow, Carol, found it. While Armstrong made no mention of this bag in decades of interviews, the bag was discussed a few times during the mission.\n\nIt is unknown how Armstrong ultimately gained possession of the bag, but it was common during the Apollo years for astronauts to retain souvenirs of their flights. (A month after Armstrong's death, Obama made legal a bill to allow Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts to retain legal title to these mementos.) Former \"Mythbusters\" host Adam Savage subsequently created a [carry bag based on the design](https:\/\/www.space.com\/38975-adam-savage-apollo-astronaut-purse-bag.html) of Armstrong's \"purse\"; the design was actually used in several Apollo missions before and after Apollo 11.\n\nOn Jul. 21, 2009, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin attended the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 Astronauts at the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill. During the ceremony, the committee presented the astronauts with a copy of House Resolution 607 honoring their achievements and announced the passage of legislation awarding them and [John Glenn](https:\/\/www.space.com\/17263-john-glenn-astronaut-biography.html) the Congressional Gold Medal.\n\n[![Apollo 11 Astronauts, from left, Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden attend the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 Astronauts.](https:\/\/cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net\/SrSSB3kfLNmpuoDtHjqmJR.jpg)]()\n\nApollo 11 Astronauts, from left, Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden attend the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 Astronauts. (Image credit: NASA\/Bill Ingalls)\n\nIn a 2013 BBC documentary, Armstrong's brother, Dean, said that he knew of the [famous first words on the moon](https:\/\/www.space.com\/19096-neil-armstrong-first-words-moon.html) several months before Apollo 11 touched down. Dean reported that Armstrong passed him a handwritten note as the brothers played a late-night game of Risk, according to British newspaper the Telegraph. However, Dean's remarks contradicted many statements by Armstrong himself, who said that the words didn't come to him until he arrived on the moon. The other Apollo 11 astronauts have also backed up Armstrong's assertions.\n\nIn 2017, a rare [gold lunar model was stolen](https:\/\/www.space.com\/37672-armstrong-museum-gold-lunar-model-stolen.html) from the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta. \"Entry to the museum was discovered and taken was a solid gold replica of the 1969 Lunar Excursion Module that landed on the moon,\" Russel Hunlock, Wapakoneta police chief, said in a release. \"The piece is very rare as it was presented to Neil Armstrong in Paris, France, shortly after the moon landing.\"\n\nOn Oct. 12, 2018, Universal Pictures released a Neil Armstrong biography based on James R. Hansen's book \"First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong.\" The movie starred Ryan Gosling as Armstrong. The movie was embroiled in political controversy because the filmmakers decided not to include a scene where Armstrong plants an American flag on the moon's surface, despite the fact that Armstrong did so in reality. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, tweeted, \"This is total lunacy. And a disservice at a time when our people need reminders of what we can achieve when we work together.\"\n\nAt the Venice Film Festival Gosling defended the filmmaker's choice, reported [The Telegraph](https:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/films\/2018\/08\/29\/first-man-neil-armstrong-film-fails-fly-flag-us-patriotism\/), saying, \"I think \\[the moon landing\\] was widely regarded in the end as a human achievement \\[and\\] that's how we chose to view it.\"\n\nOn Aug. 11, 2021, NASA [dedicated the Ohio test facility to Neil Armstrong](https:\/\/www.space.com\/nasa-armstrong-test-facility-dedication). Armstrong had graciously declined the honor when he was originally asked, but on Wednesday (Aug. 11), nine years after Armstrong died and a week after what would have been his 91st birthday, a group of NASA officials and members of Congress gathered at a small dedication ceremony in Sandusky, Ohio. NASA’s Plum Brook Station is now known as The Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility.\n\n### Additional resources\nYou can explore 50 Neil Armstrong facts with this article from [Facts.net](https:\/\/facts.net\/neil-armstrong-facts\/) or read about Armstrong's life and dreams of space travel [in this book](https:\/\/target.georiot.com\/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FFirst-Man-Life-Neil-Armstrong%2Fdp%2F1501153064%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fcrid%3DBJQQ16ZWQ4NQ%26keywords%3Dneil%2Barmstrong%26qid%3D1642694717%26sprefix%3Dneil%2Barmstron%252Caps%252C179%26sr%3D8-1%26tag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dspace-us-1446214909360681650-20) by James R. Hansen. Discover more about Armstrong in [this informative article](https:\/\/airandspace.si.edu\/stories\/editorial\/remembering-neil-armstrong) published by the Air and Space Museum.\n\n### Bibliography\n- Sylvia Doughty Fries “[NASA Engineers and the Age of Apollo](https:\/\/history.nasa.gov\/SP-4104.pdf)”, The NASA History Series.\n- Hansen, James R. “[First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong](https:\/\/books.google.co.uk\/books?hl=en&lr=&id=rMS6JFuLgx4C&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=neil+armstrong&ots=f4AULOszmw&sig=O9UZ5A95vIMcGVWCqVAgVtKbR_I&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=neil%20armstrong&f=false)”. Simon and Schuster, 2012.\n\n**Share your thoughts**\n\n0\n\n0\n\n0\n\n0\n\nJoin the community\n\nJoin the Space.com Family! The best way to keep in touch and to be informed of our latest quizzes and competitions, as well as news and offers.\n\nAlready have an account? Log in\n\nMy Details\n\nUpdate your details below...\n\nKeep in the Know\n\nWould you like to be kept informed about new quizzes and offers from Future and its partners?\n\nValidate Your Mobile No.\n\nWe have sent a code to . Please enter it below to verify your account.\n\nUpdate Your Mobile No.\n\nYou may enter a new mobile number below. You will be sent a verification code to the phone number you provide.\n\nembed-reactions.hint\\_heading\n\nembed-reactions.hint\\_subheading\n\nValidate Your Email Address\n\nWe have sent a code to . Please enter it below to verify your account.\n\nUpdate Your Email Address\n\nYou may enter a new email address below. You will be sent a verification code to the address you provide.\n\nCreate a Username\n\nThis will be publicly viewable so make it something you like\\!\n\nReset your password\n\nEnter your email address below. If it is registered with us, we will email you a code that will allow you to reset your password.\n\nCheck your inbox\n\nIf your email address was found in our system, you should receive an email in the next few minutes containing a code. Enter that code below to reset your password.\n\nSet new password\n\nPlease enter your new password below.\n\nLeaderboard\n\n| Rank | Player | Score | Time |\n|---|---|---|---|\n\nElizabeth Howell (she\/her), Ph.D., was a staff writer in the spaceflight channel between 2022 and 2024 specializing in Canadian space news. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years from 2012 to 2024. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House, leading world coverage about a lost-and-found space tomato on the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, \"Why Am I Taller?\" (ECW Press, 2022) is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams.","meta_canonical":null}

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Meta Title	Neil Armstrong: First Man on the Moon \| Space
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Boilerpipe Text	Neil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He is photographed here during the final check of his communications system before the boarding of the Apollo 11 mission. (Image credit: NASA) Neil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He famously became the first person to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969 during Apollo 11 . Armstrong also flew on NASA's Gemini 8 mission in 1966. He retired from NASA in 1971 and remained active in the aerospace community, although he chose to keep mostly out of the public spotlight. Armstrong died Aug. 25, 2012, at age 82. Armstrong was famously reticent about his accomplishments, preferring to focus on the team that helped him get to the moon rather than his own first steps. "I guess we all like to be recognized not for one piece of fireworks, but for the ledger of our daily work," Armstrong said in an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes" program in 2005. Article continues below In another interview, when asked what it feels like to have his footprints remain on the moon's surface for thousands of years, Armstrong said, "I kind of hope that somebody goes up there one of these days and cleans them up," The Independent reported. Related: Apollo landers, Neil Armstrong’s bootprint and other human artifacts on moon officially protected by new US law Early career and NASA work Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, on Aug. 5, 1930, to Stephen Koenig Armstrong and Viola Louise Engel. Neil was a naval aviator from 1949 to 1952 and served in the Korean War. He earned his bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University in 1955. (Many years later, after he became world-famous, he also received a master of science in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California in 1970.) Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more! Armstrong became a test pilot for NASA (then known as NACA, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) and flew the X-15, a rocket-powered, missile-shaped aircraft that tested the limits of high-altitude flight. During his long career as a pilot, Armstrong flew more than 200 different aircraft, from jets to gliders and even helicopters. NASA test pilot Neil Armstrong is seen here next to the X-15 ship #1 after a research flight. (Image credit: NASA) In 1962, Armstrong was selected to be part of NASA's second group of astronauts, who flew on the two-seat Gemini missions to test out space technology, and the three-seat Apollo missions that ultimately took 12 people to the surface of the moon. Armstrong's first flight was as command pilot of the Gemini 8 mission in March 1966 — the sixth crewed mission of that series. Armstrong and pilot David Scott completed the first orbital docking of two spacecraft, joining their Gemini 8 spacecraft to an uncrewed Agena target vehicle. However, the two-man crew experienced a serious problem when a thruster on the Gemini 8 spacecraft became stuck open. With the astronauts whipping around faster than one revolution per second, Armstrong managed to gain control again by using the re-entry system thrusters. The event was the first serious emergency in space and although the mission ultimately ended safely, the spacecraft was forced to splash down early because the re-entry system was already expended. Armstrong also narrowly avoided a nasty accident in May 1968, this time within Earth's atmosphere , while flying the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle — a machine that could fly somewhat like a lunar module and simulate landings on the moon. Fuel for the attitude thrusters ran out and Armstrong was forced to eject just seconds before the vehicle crashed, NASA reported . Armstrong escaped unharmed. Commander Neil Armstrong (right) and pilot David R. Scott prepare to board the Gemini-Titan 8. Gemini VIII successfully launched at 11:41 a.m. EST, March 16, 1966. The mission conducted the first docking of two spacecraft in orbit and landed safely back on Earth after an emergency abort. (Image credit: NASA) Apollo 11 and the first moonwalk The Apollo 11 crew members were announced to the public in January 1969. NASA's chief of the Astronaut Office, Donald Kent "Deke" Slayton, chose an all-veteran team of Neil Armstrong (Gemini 8), Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin (Gemini 12) and Michael Collins (Gemini 10), with Armstrong selected to command the mission. His responsibilities included landing on the moon alongside Aldrin, the pilot of the lunar module Eagle. Collins would remain in lunar orbit aboard the command module Columbia. (Collins was originally supposed to be backup pilot for Apollo 11, but his spot in the flight sequence was moved after required surgery on his back forced him off the prime crew for Apollo 8.) As the lander approached the moon, Armstrong took over the controls when he saw that the computer was guiding them to a boulder-filled landing zone. At 4:14 p.m. EDT (2014 GMT), Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon, with only 25 seconds of fuel left. Armstrong radioed, "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." Capsule communicator and astronaut Charles Duke responded from Earth: "Roger … Tranquility, we copy you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again. Thanks a lot." The schedule called for the astronauts to sleep before the first moonwalk, but they elected to go outside early because they felt they would not be able to sleep. In view of a black-and-white television camera transmitting his movements live to Earth, Armstrong descended Eagle's lander and touched his left foot upon the surface at 10:56 p.m. EDT July 20 (0256 GMT July 21). His first words were "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." (The "a" was lost to radio static, but later analysis of the sound wave showed that Armstrong did say it.) Armstrong and Aldrin together explored the surface during a moonwalk that lasted 2 hours and 36 minutes. They collected 48.5 pounds (22 kilograms) of material from the surface — including 50 moon rocks — as well as deploying experiments, planting the U.S. flag and taking a moment to speak with the U.S. president at the time, Richard Nixon. The Eagle's crew lifted off safely from the moon on July 21, docked with Columbia, and voyaged back to Earth for a successful ocean landing on July 24. The astronauts went into quarantine to mitigate the (unlikely) risk that they were carrying some sort of moon germs back with them, and then embarked on a world tour to celebrate the mission. After Apollo 11, and Armstrong's death After his time as an astronaut, Armstrong was deputy associate administrator for aeronautics at NASA headquarters . He resigned from NASA in 1971. From 1971 to 1979, he was a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati. Then from 1982 to 1992, Armstrong was chairman of Computing Technologies for Aviation Inc. in Charlottesville, Virginia. Armstrong also participated in the Rogers Commission, which was a presidential commission tasked to look at the causes and events of the fatal Challenger shuttle explosion of Jan. 28, 1986, that killed seven astronauts. Armstrong chose to mostly stay out of the spotlight after leaving NASA, although he did reappear periodically for interviews or for anniversary events concerning Apollo 11. Although his public statements were few, he followed spaceflight news and occasionally made public comments on what was happening. He remained a vocal supporter of suborbital spaceflight. On the other hand, the former Apollo astronaut was publicly critical of plans to shift crewed spaceflight from NASA to private spacecraft. On Aug. 7, 2012 — two days after Armstrong turned 82 years old — the famed moonwalker underwent coronary bypass surgery. Complications from the surgery resulted in his death on Aug. 25. "Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend," his family wrote on the website neilarmstronginfo.com. "For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request," they added. "Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink." Tributes poured in from many public figures, including President Barack Obama, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, then-NASA administrator Charles Bolden, Apollo 11 crewmates Aldrin and Collins, and various space representatives in the public, private and nonprofit spheres. "Neil was among the greatest of American heroes — not just of his time, but of all time," Obama's statement read . "When he and his fellow crew members lifted off aboard Apollo 11 in 1969, they carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation. They set out to show the world that the American spirit can see beyond what seems unimaginable — that with enough drive and ingenuity, anything is possible." A private memorial service for Armstrong was held Aug. 31, 2012, at the Camargo Club in Cincinnati. Two weeks later, a publicly televised memorial service was held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Armstrong was buried at sea Sept. 14, 2012, in a ceremony aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea. Armstrong's family was on board when the ship left port in Mayport, Florida, and they released his ashes somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. Obama ordered flags around the United States to fly at half-staff on the day of the funeral. Armstrong's legacy In 2015, the Smithsonian Institution revealed that Armstrong had kept aside a cloth bag full of small parts from the lunar module Eagle, which lay undiscovered for decades until his widow, Carol, found it. While Armstrong made no mention of this bag in decades of interviews, the bag was discussed a few times during the mission. It is unknown how Armstrong ultimately gained possession of the bag, but it was common during the Apollo years for astronauts to retain souvenirs of their flights. (A month after Armstrong's death, Obama made legal a bill to allow Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts to retain legal title to these mementos.) Former "Mythbusters" host Adam Savage subsequently created a carry bag based on the design of Armstrong's "purse"; the design was actually used in several Apollo missions before and after Apollo 11. On Jul. 21, 2009, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin attended the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 Astronauts at the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill. During the ceremony, the committee presented the astronauts with a copy of House Resolution 607 honoring their achievements and announced the passage of legislation awarding them and John Glenn the Congressional Gold Medal. Apollo 11 Astronauts, from left, Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden attend the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 Astronauts. (Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls) In a 2013 BBC documentary, Armstrong's brother, Dean, said that he knew of the famous first words on the moon several months before Apollo 11 touched down. Dean reported that Armstrong passed him a handwritten note as the brothers played a late-night game of Risk, according to British newspaper the Telegraph. However, Dean's remarks contradicted many statements by Armstrong himself, who said that the words didn't come to him until he arrived on the moon. The other Apollo 11 astronauts have also backed up Armstrong's assertions. In 2017, a rare gold lunar model was stolen from the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta. "Entry to the museum was discovered and taken was a solid gold replica of the 1969 Lunar Excursion Module that landed on the moon," Russel Hunlock, Wapakoneta police chief, said in a release. "The piece is very rare as it was presented to Neil Armstrong in Paris, France, shortly after the moon landing." On Oct. 12, 2018, Universal Pictures released a Neil Armstrong biography based on James R. Hansen's book "First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong." The movie starred Ryan Gosling as Armstrong. The movie was embroiled in political controversy because the filmmakers decided not to include a scene where Armstrong plants an American flag on the moon's surface, despite the fact that Armstrong did so in reality. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, tweeted, "This is total lunacy. And a disservice at a time when our people need reminders of what we can achieve when we work together." At the Venice Film Festival Gosling defended the filmmaker's choice, reported The Telegraph , saying, "I think [the moon landing] was widely regarded in the end as a human achievement [and] that's how we chose to view it." On Aug. 11, 2021, NASA dedicated the Ohio test facility to Neil Armstrong . Armstrong had graciously declined the honor when he was originally asked, but on Wednesday (Aug. 11), nine years after Armstrong died and a week after what would have been his 91st birthday, a group of NASA officials and members of Congress gathered at a small dedication ceremony in Sandusky, Ohio. NASA’s Plum Brook Station is now known as The Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility. Additional resources You can explore 50 Neil Armstrong facts with this article from Facts.net or read about Armstrong's life and dreams of space travel in this book by James R. Hansen. Discover more about Armstrong in this informative article published by the Air and Space Museum. Bibliography Sylvia Doughty Fries “ NASA Engineers and the Age of Apollo ”, The NASA History Series. Hansen, James R. “ First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong ”. Simon and Schuster, 2012. Share your thoughts 0 0 0 0 Join the community Join the Space.com Family! The best way to keep in touch and to be informed of our latest quizzes and competitions, as well as news and offers. Already have an account? Log in Log In Forgotten your password? Reset it Not got an account? Register My Details Update your details below... Keep in the Know Would you like to be kept informed about new quizzes and offers from Future and its partners? 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Enter that code below to reset your password. Set new password Please enter your new password below. Leaderboard Rank Player Score Time Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., was a staff writer in the spaceflight channel between 2022 and 2024 specializing in Canadian space news. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years from 2012 to 2024. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House, leading world coverage about a lost-and-found space tomato on the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller?" (ECW Press, 2022) is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams.
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[Bibliography](https://www.space.com/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html#section-bibliography) Don't miss these [![An orange rocket with white side booster stands next to the launch tower during a colorful sunrise.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/P2iidPSuATuq8c9M85zRxN.jpg) Artemis How to watch NASA's Artemis 2 astronauts launch to the moon on April 1](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/artemis-2-astronauts-are-launching-to-the-moon-on-april-1-watch-it-live "How to watch NASA's Artemis 2 astronauts launch to the moon on April 1") [![NASA’s Artemis II SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft stand vertical on mobile launcher 1 at Launch Complex 39B at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Feb. 10, 2026. ](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/x9JFPuMMVLFfmsEpitk3zH.jpg) Missions Artemis 2 moon mission latest news: NASA still targeting April 1 for launch](https://www.space.com/news/live/artemis-2-nasa-moon-mission-launch-updates-march-29-2026 "Artemis 2 moon mission latest news: NASA still targeting April 1 for launch") [![A white rocket nose with the circular NASA logo stands next to the metal gantry underneath a glowing large full moon in a black night sky](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/kHi8vrw3JywVPfifSGRjgC.jpg) Artemis What time is NASA's Artemis 2 moon launch on April 1?](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/nasa-artemis-2-moon-launch-what-time "What time is NASA's Artemis 2 moon launch on April 1?") 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[Astronomy](https://www.space.com/astronomy) 2. [Solar System](https://www.space.com/astronomy/solar-system) 3. [The moon](https://www.space.com/astronomy/solar-system/moon) # Neil Armstrong: First man on the moon [References](https://www.space.com/references) By [Daisy Dobrijevic](https://www.space.com/author/daisy-dobrijevic), [Elizabeth Howell](https://www.space.com/author/elizabeth-howell) published January 20, 2022 A brief biography of Neil Armstrong. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. [Here’s how it works](https://www.space.com/41418-about-us.html#section-affiliate-advertising-disclosure). Click for next article ![Neil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He is photographed here during the final check of his communications system before the boarding of the Apollo 11 mission. ](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SeCmsTZxUcecHTETKDrhyP.jpg) Neil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He is photographed here during the final check of his communications system before the boarding of the Apollo 11 mission. (Image credit: NASA) Jump to: - [Early career and NASA work](https://www.space.com/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html#section-early-career-and-nasa-work) - [Apollo 11 and the first moonwalk](https://www.space.com/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html#section-apollo-11-and-the-first-moonwalk) - [After Apollo 11, and Armstrong's death](https://www.space.com/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html#section-after-apollo-11-and-armstrong-s-death) - [Armstrong's legacy](https://www.space.com/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html#section-armstrong-s-legacy) - [Additional resources](https://www.space.com/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html#section-additional-resources) - [Bibliography](https://www.space.com/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html#section-bibliography) Share - Copy link - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2F15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html) - [X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Neil+Armstrong%3A+First+man+on+the+moon&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2F15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html) - [Whatsapp](whatsapp://send?text=Neil+Armstrong%3A+First+man+on+the+moon+https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2F15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html?fwa) - [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2F15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html&title=Neil+Armstrong%3A+First+man+on+the+moon) - [Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2F15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html&media=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net%2FSeCmsTZxUcecHTETKDrhyP.jpg) - [Flipboard](https://share.flipboard.com/bookmarklet/popout?title=Neil+Armstrong%3A+First+man+on+the+moon&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.space.com%2F15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html) - [Email](mailto:?subject=I%20found%20this%20webpage&body=Hi,%20I%20found%20this%20webpage%20and%20thought%20you%20might%20like%20it%20https://www.space.com/15519-neil-armstrong-man-moon.html) Share this article Join the conversation [Follow us](https://google.com/preferences/source?q=space.com) Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Get the Space.com Newsletter Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more\! * By signing up, you agree to our [Terms of services](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/terms-conditions\/) and acknowledge that you have read our [Privacy Notice](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/privacy-policy\/). You also agree to receive marketing emails from us that may include promotions from our trusted partners and sponsors, which you can unsubscribe from at any time. You are now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful * Want to add more newsletters? ![Daily Newsletter](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/vfpcxVDrtfCysGSjzYjeSg.png) Delivered daily Daily Newsletter Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more\! Subscribe + ![Watch This Space](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tjzmFi262iKuxrcCtSghKg.jpg) Once a month Watch This Space Sign up to our monthly entertainment newsletter to keep up with all our coverage of the latest sci-fi and space movies, tv shows, games and books. Subscribe + ![Night Sky This Week](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/qsHaEcQ6H695rhBoNZdK5g.jpg) Once a week Night Sky This Week Discover this week's must-see night sky events, moon phases, and stunning astrophotos. Sign up for our skywatching newsletter and explore the universe with us\! Subscribe + ![Strange New Words](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Mk2LrCm68RFHzQhNyQaH2Y.jpg) Twice a month Strange New Words Space.com's Sci-Fi Reader's Club. Read a sci-fi short story every month and join a virtual community of fellow science fiction fans\! Subscribe + * An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Neil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He famously became the first person to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969 during [Apollo 11](https://www.space.com/16758-apollo-11-first-moon-landing.html). Armstrong also flew on NASA's Gemini 8 mission in 1966. He retired from [NASA](https://www.space.com/17953-nasa-headquarters.html) in 1971 and remained active in the aerospace community, although he chose to keep mostly out of the public spotlight. Armstrong died Aug. 25, 2012, at age 82. Armstrong was famously reticent about his accomplishments, preferring to focus on the team that helped him get to the [moon](https://www.space.com/55-earths-moon-formation-composition-and-orbit.html) rather than his own first steps. "I guess we all like to be recognized not for one piece of fireworks, but for the ledger of our daily work," Armstrong said in an [interview with CBS's "60 Minutes"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvmFeJu4maU) program in 2005. Article continues below You may like - [![A man with gray hair wearing a blue flight suit with a circular NASA logo sits in front of the American and Canadian flags with a microphone in front of him](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/M549GAYpJUairH9w2gPeNM.jpg) 'It's all I think about': Artemis 2 commander Reid Wiseman is zeroed in on historic moon mission](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/its-all-i-think-about-artemis-2-commander-reid-wiseman-is-zeroed-in-on-historic-moon-mission) - [![A man with gray hair wearing a blue flight suit with a circular CSA logo answers a question using a microphone on the desk in front of him](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/8PPTLLfzbxVevXf87kRjRT.jpg) Making Canadian history: Artemis 2 astronaut Jeremy Hansen is ready for his epic moon mission](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/making-canadian-history-artemis-2-astronaut-jeremy-hansen-is-ready-for-his-epic-moon-mission) - [![Artist\&\#039;s illustration of Artemis 2 mission including the Orion spacecraft with Earth in background](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/L8exumuVUaJatGHCPDRuQm.jpg) NASA's Artemis 2 mission: Everything you need to know](https://www.space.com/artemis-2-humans-moon-orbit) In another interview, when asked what it feels like to have his footprints remain on the moon's surface for thousands of years, Armstrong said, "I kind of hope that somebody goes up there one of these days and cleans them up," [The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/neil-armstrong-one-of-the-greatest-american-heroes-of-all-time-8081425.html) reported. Related: [Apollo landers, Neil Armstrong’s bootprint and other human artifacts on moon officially protected by new US law](https://www.space.com/apollo-landers-neil-armstrongs-bootprint-and-other-human-artifacts-on-moon-officially-protected-by-new-us-law) [Click here for more Space.com videos...](https://videos.space.com/m/5O62kx7D/neil-armstrong-explorer-pioneer-and-american-hero?list=9wzCTV4g) ### Early career and NASA work Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, on Aug. 5, 1930, to Stephen Koenig Armstrong and Viola Louise Engel. Neil was a naval aviator from 1949 to 1952 and served in the Korean War. He earned his bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University in 1955. (Many years later, after he became world-famous, he also received a master of science in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California in 1970.) Get the Space.com Newsletter Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more\! By signing up, you agree to our [Terms of services](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/terms-conditions\/) and acknowledge that you have read our [Privacy Notice](https:\/\/futureplc.com\/privacy-policy\/). You also agree to receive marketing emails from us that may include promotions from our trusted partners and sponsors, which you can unsubscribe from at any time. Armstrong became a test pilot for NASA (then known as NACA, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) and flew the X-15, a rocket-powered, missile-shaped aircraft that tested the limits of high-altitude flight. During his long career as a pilot, Armstrong flew more than 200 different aircraft, from jets to gliders and even helicopters. [![NASA test pilot Neil Armstrong is seen here next to the X-15 ship \#1 after a research flight.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FavgG5SERGodBS9WngXGKN.jpg)]() NASA test pilot Neil Armstrong is seen here next to the X-15 ship \#1 after a research flight. (Image credit: NASA) In 1962, Armstrong was selected to be part of NASA's second group of astronauts, who flew on the two-seat [Gemini missions](https://www.space.com/24655-project-gemini.html) to test out space technology, and the three-seat Apollo missions that ultimately took 12 people to the surface of the moon. Armstrong's first flight was as command pilot of the Gemini 8 mission in March 1966 — the sixth crewed mission of that series. Armstrong and pilot David Scott completed the first orbital docking of two spacecraft, joining their Gemini 8 spacecraft to an uncrewed Agena target vehicle. However, the two-man crew experienced a serious problem when a thruster on the Gemini 8 spacecraft became stuck open. With the astronauts whipping around faster than one revolution per second, Armstrong managed to gain control again by using the re-entry system thrusters. The event was the first serious emergency in space and although the mission ultimately ended safely, the spacecraft was forced to splash down early because the re-entry system was already expended. What to read next - [![NASA rolls out the SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft for the Artemis 2 moon mission on Jan. 17, 2026.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/YyjM33WKW7nZjhiGiozANN.jpg) NASA to fly piece of Wright Brothers' plane on Artemis 2 moon mission](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/human-spaceflight/nasa-to-fly-piece-of-wright-brothers-plane-on-artemis-2-moon-mission) - [![The Artemis 2 crew poses in front of an Orion simulator Jan. 23, 2026 at NASA\&\#039;s Johnson Space Center in Houston. From left: Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Jeremy Hansen and Victor Glover.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/pzTAAG8vKmH5mikB5q2aNd.jpg) 'We're all on this journey together:' Who are the Artemis 2 astronauts launching to the moon?](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/were-all-on-this-journey-together-who-are-the-artemis-2-astronauts-launching-to-the-moon) - [![A bald man wearing a blue flight suit with the NASA meatball logo and American flag on it speaks into a microphone sitting behind a large desk with a gray background behind him.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/48WRoyPEN3FbbsLc5tRs5N.jpg) 'We work for them, too': Artemis 2 moon mission is for everyone, NASA astronaut Victor Glover says (video)](https://www.space.com/space-exploration/artemis/we-work-for-them-too-artemis-2-moon-mission-is-for-everyone-nasa-astronaut-victor-glover-says-video) Armstrong also narrowly avoided a nasty accident in May 1968, this time within [Earth's atmosphere](https://www.space.com/17683-earth-atmosphere.html), while flying the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle — a machine that could fly somewhat like a lunar module and simulate landings on the moon. Fuel for the attitude thrusters ran out and Armstrong was forced to eject just seconds before the vehicle crashed, [NASA reported](https://www.nasa.gov/feature/50-years-ago-armstrong-survives-training-crash). Armstrong escaped unharmed. [![Commander Neil Armstrong (right) and pilot David R. Scott prepare to board the Gemini-Titan 8. Gemini VIII successfully launched at 11:41 a.m. EST, March 16, 1966. The mission conducted the first docking of two spacecraft in orbit and landed safely back on Earth after an emergency abort.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PDdA2P8tW448HeqoBRiHrJ.jpg)]() Commander Neil Armstrong (right) and pilot David R. Scott prepare to board the Gemini-Titan 8. Gemini VIII successfully launched at 11:41 a.m. EST, March 16, 1966. The mission conducted the first docking of two spacecraft in orbit and landed safely back on Earth after an emergency abort. (Image credit: NASA) ### Apollo 11 and the first moonwalk The Apollo 11 crew members were announced to the public in January 1969. NASA's chief of the Astronaut Office, Donald Kent "Deke" Slayton, chose an all-veteran team of Neil Armstrong (Gemini 8), Edwin ["Buzz" Aldrin](https://www.space.com/16280-buzz-aldrin.html) (Gemini 12) and [Michael Collins](https://www.space.com/16971-michael-collins-apollo-11.html) (Gemini 10), with Armstrong selected to command the mission. His responsibilities included landing on the moon alongside Aldrin, the pilot of the lunar module Eagle. Collins would remain in lunar orbit aboard the command module Columbia. (Collins was originally supposed to be backup pilot for Apollo 11, but his spot in the flight sequence was moved after required surgery on his back forced him off the prime crew for Apollo 8.) As the lander approached the moon, Armstrong took over the controls when he saw that the computer was guiding them to a boulder-filled landing zone. At 4:14 p.m. EDT (2014 GMT), Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon, with only 25 seconds of fuel left. Armstrong radioed, "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." Capsule communicator and astronaut Charles Duke responded from Earth: "Roger … Tranquility, we copy you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again. Thanks a lot." The schedule called for the astronauts to sleep before the first moonwalk, but they elected to go outside early because they felt they would not be able to sleep. In view of a black-and-white television camera transmitting his movements live to Earth, Armstrong descended Eagle's lander and touched his left foot upon the surface at 10:56 p.m. EDT July 20 (0256 GMT July 21). His first words were "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." (The "a" was lost to radio static, but later [analysis of the sound wave](http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-100306a.html) showed that Armstrong did say it.) [Click here for more Space.com videos...](https://videos.space.com/m/SMuUGm3e/watch-apollo-11-moonwalk-highlights-in-archive-video?list=9wzCTV4g) Armstrong and Aldrin together explored the surface during a moonwalk that lasted 2 hours and 36 minutes. They collected 48.5 pounds (22 kilograms) of material from the surface — including 50 moon rocks — as well as deploying experiments, planting the U.S. flag and taking a moment to speak with the U.S. president at the time, Richard Nixon. The Eagle's crew lifted off safely from the moon on July 21, docked with Columbia, and voyaged back to Earth for a successful ocean landing on July 24. The astronauts went into quarantine to mitigate the (unlikely) risk that they were carrying some sort of moon germs back with them, and then embarked on a world tour to celebrate the mission. ### After Apollo 11, and Armstrong's death After his time as an astronaut, Armstrong was deputy associate administrator for aeronautics at [NASA headquarters](https://www.space.com/17953-nasa-headquarters.html). He resigned from NASA in 1971. From 1971 to 1979, he was a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati. Then from 1982 to 1992, Armstrong was chairman of Computing Technologies for Aviation Inc. in Charlottesville, Virginia. Armstrong also participated in the Rogers Commission, which was a presidential commission tasked to look at the causes and events of the fatal [Challenger shuttle](https://www.space.com/18084-space-shuttle-challenger.html) explosion of Jan. 28, 1986, that killed seven astronauts. Armstrong chose to mostly stay out of the spotlight after leaving NASA, although he did reappear periodically for interviews or for anniversary events concerning Apollo 11. Although his public statements were few, he followed spaceflight news and occasionally made public comments on what was happening. He remained a vocal supporter of suborbital spaceflight. On the other hand, the former Apollo astronaut was publicly [critical of plans](https://www.space.com/14954-elon-musk-spacex-spaceflight-revolution.html) to shift crewed spaceflight from NASA to private spacecraft. On Aug. 7, 2012 — two days after Armstrong turned 82 years old — the famed moonwalker underwent coronary bypass surgery. Complications from the surgery resulted in his death on Aug. 25. [Click here for more Space.com videos...](https://videos.space.com/m/inhV8gS5/gold-medal-honor-glenn-and-armstrong-speeches?list=9wzCTV4g) "Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend," his family wrote on the website neilarmstronginfo.com. "For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request," they added. "Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink." [Tributes poured in](https://www.space.com/17301-neil-armstrong-dies-reactions-nasa.html) from many public figures, including President Barack Obama, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, then-NASA administrator Charles Bolden, Apollo 11 crewmates Aldrin and Collins, and various space representatives in the public, private and nonprofit spheres. "Neil was among the greatest of American heroes — not just of his time, but of all time," [Obama's statement read](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/08/25/statement-president-passing-neil-armstrong). "When he and his fellow crew members lifted off aboard Apollo 11 in 1969, they carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation. They set out to show the world that the American spirit can see beyond what seems unimaginable — that with enough drive and ingenuity, anything is possible." A [private memorial service](https://www.space.com/17414-neil-armstrong-memorial-service-photos.html) for Armstrong was held Aug. 31, 2012, at the Camargo Club in Cincinnati. Two weeks later, a [publicly televised memorial service](https://www.space.com/17579-neil-armstrong-memorial-service-national-cathedral-pictures.html) was held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Armstrong was [buried at sea](https://www.space.com/17614-neil-armstrong-remains-buried-at-sea.html) Sept. 14, 2012, in a ceremony aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea. Armstrong's family was on board when the ship left port in Mayport, Florida, and they released his ashes somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. Obama ordered flags around the United States to fly at half-staff on the day of the funeral. ### Armstrong's legacy In 2015, the Smithsonian Institution revealed that Armstrong had kept aside a [cloth bag full of small parts](https://www.space.com/28491-neil-armstrong-purse-apollo11-artifacts.html) from the lunar module Eagle, which lay undiscovered for decades until his widow, Carol, found it. While Armstrong made no mention of this bag in decades of interviews, the bag was discussed a few times during the mission. It is unknown how Armstrong ultimately gained possession of the bag, but it was common during the Apollo years for astronauts to retain souvenirs of their flights. (A month after Armstrong's death, Obama made legal a bill to allow Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts to retain legal title to these mementos.) Former "Mythbusters" host Adam Savage subsequently created a [carry bag based on the design](https://www.space.com/38975-adam-savage-apollo-astronaut-purse-bag.html) of Armstrong's "purse"; the design was actually used in several Apollo missions before and after Apollo 11. On Jul. 21, 2009, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin attended the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 Astronauts at the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill. During the ceremony, the committee presented the astronauts with a copy of House Resolution 607 honoring their achievements and announced the passage of legislation awarding them and [John Glenn](https://www.space.com/17263-john-glenn-astronaut-biography.html) the Congressional Gold Medal. [![Apollo 11 Astronauts, from left, Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden attend the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 Astronauts.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SrSSB3kfLNmpuoDtHjqmJR.jpg)]() Apollo 11 Astronauts, from left, Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden attend the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 Astronauts. (Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls) In a 2013 BBC documentary, Armstrong's brother, Dean, said that he knew of the [famous first words on the moon](https://www.space.com/19096-neil-armstrong-first-words-moon.html) several months before Apollo 11 touched down. Dean reported that Armstrong passed him a handwritten note as the brothers played a late-night game of Risk, according to British newspaper the Telegraph. However, Dean's remarks contradicted many statements by Armstrong himself, who said that the words didn't come to him until he arrived on the moon. The other Apollo 11 astronauts have also backed up Armstrong's assertions. In 2017, a rare [gold lunar model was stolen](https://www.space.com/37672-armstrong-museum-gold-lunar-model-stolen.html) from the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta. "Entry to the museum was discovered and taken was a solid gold replica of the 1969 Lunar Excursion Module that landed on the moon," Russel Hunlock, Wapakoneta police chief, said in a release. "The piece is very rare as it was presented to Neil Armstrong in Paris, France, shortly after the moon landing." On Oct. 12, 2018, Universal Pictures released a Neil Armstrong biography based on James R. Hansen's book "First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong." The movie starred Ryan Gosling as Armstrong. The movie was embroiled in political controversy because the filmmakers decided not to include a scene where Armstrong plants an American flag on the moon's surface, despite the fact that Armstrong did so in reality. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, tweeted, "This is total lunacy. And a disservice at a time when our people need reminders of what we can achieve when we work together." At the Venice Film Festival Gosling defended the filmmaker's choice, reported [The Telegraph](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2018/08/29/first-man-neil-armstrong-film-fails-fly-flag-us-patriotism/), saying, "I think \[the moon landing\] was widely regarded in the end as a human achievement \[and\] that's how we chose to view it." On Aug. 11, 2021, NASA [dedicated the Ohio test facility to Neil Armstrong](https://www.space.com/nasa-armstrong-test-facility-dedication). Armstrong had graciously declined the honor when he was originally asked, but on Wednesday (Aug. 11), nine years after Armstrong died and a week after what would have been his 91st birthday, a group of NASA officials and members of Congress gathered at a small dedication ceremony in Sandusky, Ohio. NASA’s Plum Brook Station is now known as The Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility. ### Additional resources You can explore 50 Neil Armstrong facts with this article from [Facts.net](https://facts.net/neil-armstrong-facts/) or read about Armstrong's life and dreams of space travel [in this book](https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FFirst-Man-Life-Neil-Armstrong%2Fdp%2F1501153064%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fcrid%3DBJQQ16ZWQ4NQ%26keywords%3Dneil%2Barmstrong%26qid%3D1642694717%26sprefix%3Dneil%2Barmstron%252Caps%252C179%26sr%3D8-1%26tag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dspace-us-1446214909360681650-20) by James R. Hansen. Discover more about Armstrong in [this informative article](https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/remembering-neil-armstrong) published by the Air and Space Museum. ### Bibliography - Sylvia Doughty Fries “[NASA Engineers and the Age of Apollo](https://history.nasa.gov/SP-4104.pdf)”, The NASA History Series. - Hansen, James R. “[First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong](https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=rMS6JFuLgx4C&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=neil+armstrong&ots=f4AULOszmw&sig=O9UZ5A95vIMcGVWCqVAgVtKbR_I&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=neil%20armstrong&f=false)”. Simon and Schuster, 2012. Share your thoughts** 0 0 0 0 Random QuizPlay a Random Quiz Filter by Category Join the community Join the Space.com Family! The best way to keep in touch and to be informed of our latest quizzes and competitions, as well as news and offers. I'm in\! Not right now Already have an account? Log in This page will close automatically once you have completed the authorisation process My Details Update your details below... Keep in the Know Would you like to be kept informed about new quizzes and offers from Future and its partners? OK Validate Your Mobile No. We have sent a code to . Please enter it below to verify your account. Update Your Mobile No. You may enter a new mobile number below. 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Leaderboard \| Rank \| Player \| Score \| Time \| \|---\|---\|---\|---\| Log In or Register More Quizzes Log Out ![Elizabeth Howell](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/RU2kJRoTDQkePFeSZBNxHF.jpg) [Elizabeth Howell](https://www.space.com/author/elizabeth-howell) Contributing Writer Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., was a staff writer in the spaceflight channel between 2022 and 2024 specializing in Canadian space news. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years from 2012 to 2024. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House, leading world coverage about a lost-and-found space tomato on the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller?" (ECW Press, 2022) is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams. 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Readable Markdown	![Neil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He is photographed here during the final check of his communications system before the boarding of the Apollo 11 mission. ](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SeCmsTZxUcecHTETKDrhyP.jpg) Neil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He is photographed here during the final check of his communications system before the boarding of the Apollo 11 mission. (Image credit: NASA) Neil Armstrong was a NASA astronaut and aeronautical engineer. He famously became the first person to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969 during [Apollo 11](https://www.space.com/16758-apollo-11-first-moon-landing.html). Armstrong also flew on NASA's Gemini 8 mission in 1966. He retired from [NASA](https://www.space.com/17953-nasa-headquarters.html) in 1971 and remained active in the aerospace community, although he chose to keep mostly out of the public spotlight. Armstrong died Aug. 25, 2012, at age 82. Armstrong was famously reticent about his accomplishments, preferring to focus on the team that helped him get to the [moon](https://www.space.com/55-earths-moon-formation-composition-and-orbit.html) rather than his own first steps. "I guess we all like to be recognized not for one piece of fireworks, but for the ledger of our daily work," Armstrong said in an [interview with CBS's "60 Minutes"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvmFeJu4maU) program in 2005. Article continues below In another interview, when asked what it feels like to have his footprints remain on the moon's surface for thousands of years, Armstrong said, "I kind of hope that somebody goes up there one of these days and cleans them up," [The Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/neil-armstrong-one-of-the-greatest-american-heroes-of-all-time-8081425.html) reported. Related: [Apollo landers, Neil Armstrong’s bootprint and other human artifacts on moon officially protected by new US law](https://www.space.com/apollo-landers-neil-armstrongs-bootprint-and-other-human-artifacts-on-moon-officially-protected-by-new-us-law) ### Early career and NASA work Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, on Aug. 5, 1930, to Stephen Koenig Armstrong and Viola Louise Engel. Neil was a naval aviator from 1949 to 1952 and served in the Korean War. He earned his bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University in 1955. (Many years later, after he became world-famous, he also received a master of science in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California in 1970.) Breaking space news, the latest updates on rocket launches, skywatching events and more\! Armstrong became a test pilot for NASA (then known as NACA, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) and flew the X-15, a rocket-powered, missile-shaped aircraft that tested the limits of high-altitude flight. During his long career as a pilot, Armstrong flew more than 200 different aircraft, from jets to gliders and even helicopters. [![NASA test pilot Neil Armstrong is seen here next to the X-15 ship \#1 after a research flight.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/FavgG5SERGodBS9WngXGKN.jpg)]() NASA test pilot Neil Armstrong is seen here next to the X-15 ship \#1 after a research flight. (Image credit: NASA) In 1962, Armstrong was selected to be part of NASA's second group of astronauts, who flew on the two-seat [Gemini missions](https://www.space.com/24655-project-gemini.html) to test out space technology, and the three-seat Apollo missions that ultimately took 12 people to the surface of the moon. Armstrong's first flight was as command pilot of the Gemini 8 mission in March 1966 — the sixth crewed mission of that series. Armstrong and pilot David Scott completed the first orbital docking of two spacecraft, joining their Gemini 8 spacecraft to an uncrewed Agena target vehicle. However, the two-man crew experienced a serious problem when a thruster on the Gemini 8 spacecraft became stuck open. With the astronauts whipping around faster than one revolution per second, Armstrong managed to gain control again by using the re-entry system thrusters. The event was the first serious emergency in space and although the mission ultimately ended safely, the spacecraft was forced to splash down early because the re-entry system was already expended. Armstrong also narrowly avoided a nasty accident in May 1968, this time within [Earth's atmosphere](https://www.space.com/17683-earth-atmosphere.html), while flying the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle — a machine that could fly somewhat like a lunar module and simulate landings on the moon. Fuel for the attitude thrusters ran out and Armstrong was forced to eject just seconds before the vehicle crashed, [NASA reported](https://www.nasa.gov/feature/50-years-ago-armstrong-survives-training-crash). Armstrong escaped unharmed. [![Commander Neil Armstrong (right) and pilot David R. Scott prepare to board the Gemini-Titan 8. Gemini VIII successfully launched at 11:41 a.m. EST, March 16, 1966. The mission conducted the first docking of two spacecraft in orbit and landed safely back on Earth after an emergency abort.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/PDdA2P8tW448HeqoBRiHrJ.jpg)]() Commander Neil Armstrong (right) and pilot David R. Scott prepare to board the Gemini-Titan 8. Gemini VIII successfully launched at 11:41 a.m. EST, March 16, 1966. The mission conducted the first docking of two spacecraft in orbit and landed safely back on Earth after an emergency abort. (Image credit: NASA) ### Apollo 11 and the first moonwalk The Apollo 11 crew members were announced to the public in January 1969. NASA's chief of the Astronaut Office, Donald Kent "Deke" Slayton, chose an all-veteran team of Neil Armstrong (Gemini 8), Edwin ["Buzz" Aldrin](https://www.space.com/16280-buzz-aldrin.html) (Gemini 12) and [Michael Collins](https://www.space.com/16971-michael-collins-apollo-11.html) (Gemini 10), with Armstrong selected to command the mission. His responsibilities included landing on the moon alongside Aldrin, the pilot of the lunar module Eagle. Collins would remain in lunar orbit aboard the command module Columbia. (Collins was originally supposed to be backup pilot for Apollo 11, but his spot in the flight sequence was moved after required surgery on his back forced him off the prime crew for Apollo 8.) As the lander approached the moon, Armstrong took over the controls when he saw that the computer was guiding them to a boulder-filled landing zone. At 4:14 p.m. EDT (2014 GMT), Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon, with only 25 seconds of fuel left. Armstrong radioed, "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." Capsule communicator and astronaut Charles Duke responded from Earth: "Roger … Tranquility, we copy you on the ground. You got a bunch of guys about to turn blue. We're breathing again. Thanks a lot." The schedule called for the astronauts to sleep before the first moonwalk, but they elected to go outside early because they felt they would not be able to sleep. In view of a black-and-white television camera transmitting his movements live to Earth, Armstrong descended Eagle's lander and touched his left foot upon the surface at 10:56 p.m. EDT July 20 (0256 GMT July 21). His first words were "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." (The "a" was lost to radio static, but later [analysis of the sound wave](http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-100306a.html) showed that Armstrong did say it.) Armstrong and Aldrin together explored the surface during a moonwalk that lasted 2 hours and 36 minutes. They collected 48.5 pounds (22 kilograms) of material from the surface — including 50 moon rocks — as well as deploying experiments, planting the U.S. flag and taking a moment to speak with the U.S. president at the time, Richard Nixon. The Eagle's crew lifted off safely from the moon on July 21, docked with Columbia, and voyaged back to Earth for a successful ocean landing on July 24. The astronauts went into quarantine to mitigate the (unlikely) risk that they were carrying some sort of moon germs back with them, and then embarked on a world tour to celebrate the mission. ### After Apollo 11, and Armstrong's death After his time as an astronaut, Armstrong was deputy associate administrator for aeronautics at [NASA headquarters](https://www.space.com/17953-nasa-headquarters.html). He resigned from NASA in 1971. From 1971 to 1979, he was a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati. Then from 1982 to 1992, Armstrong was chairman of Computing Technologies for Aviation Inc. in Charlottesville, Virginia. Armstrong also participated in the Rogers Commission, which was a presidential commission tasked to look at the causes and events of the fatal [Challenger shuttle](https://www.space.com/18084-space-shuttle-challenger.html) explosion of Jan. 28, 1986, that killed seven astronauts. Armstrong chose to mostly stay out of the spotlight after leaving NASA, although he did reappear periodically for interviews or for anniversary events concerning Apollo 11. Although his public statements were few, he followed spaceflight news and occasionally made public comments on what was happening. He remained a vocal supporter of suborbital spaceflight. On the other hand, the former Apollo astronaut was publicly [critical of plans](https://www.space.com/14954-elon-musk-spacex-spaceflight-revolution.html) to shift crewed spaceflight from NASA to private spacecraft. On Aug. 7, 2012 — two days after Armstrong turned 82 years old — the famed moonwalker underwent coronary bypass surgery. Complications from the surgery resulted in his death on Aug. 25. "Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend," his family wrote on the website neilarmstronginfo.com. "For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request," they added. "Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink." [Tributes poured in](https://www.space.com/17301-neil-armstrong-dies-reactions-nasa.html) from many public figures, including President Barack Obama, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, then-NASA administrator Charles Bolden, Apollo 11 crewmates Aldrin and Collins, and various space representatives in the public, private and nonprofit spheres. "Neil was among the greatest of American heroes — not just of his time, but of all time," [Obama's statement read](https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2012/08/25/statement-president-passing-neil-armstrong). "When he and his fellow crew members lifted off aboard Apollo 11 in 1969, they carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation. They set out to show the world that the American spirit can see beyond what seems unimaginable — that with enough drive and ingenuity, anything is possible." A [private memorial service](https://www.space.com/17414-neil-armstrong-memorial-service-photos.html) for Armstrong was held Aug. 31, 2012, at the Camargo Club in Cincinnati. Two weeks later, a [publicly televised memorial service](https://www.space.com/17579-neil-armstrong-memorial-service-national-cathedral-pictures.html) was held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. Armstrong was [buried at sea](https://www.space.com/17614-neil-armstrong-remains-buried-at-sea.html) Sept. 14, 2012, in a ceremony aboard the guided missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea. Armstrong's family was on board when the ship left port in Mayport, Florida, and they released his ashes somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean. Obama ordered flags around the United States to fly at half-staff on the day of the funeral. ### Armstrong's legacy In 2015, the Smithsonian Institution revealed that Armstrong had kept aside a [cloth bag full of small parts](https://www.space.com/28491-neil-armstrong-purse-apollo11-artifacts.html) from the lunar module Eagle, which lay undiscovered for decades until his widow, Carol, found it. While Armstrong made no mention of this bag in decades of interviews, the bag was discussed a few times during the mission. It is unknown how Armstrong ultimately gained possession of the bag, but it was common during the Apollo years for astronauts to retain souvenirs of their flights. (A month after Armstrong's death, Obama made legal a bill to allow Mercury, Gemini and Apollo astronauts to retain legal title to these mementos.) Former "Mythbusters" host Adam Savage subsequently created a [carry bag based on the design](https://www.space.com/38975-adam-savage-apollo-astronaut-purse-bag.html) of Armstrong's "purse"; the design was actually used in several Apollo missions before and after Apollo 11. On Jul. 21, 2009, Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, and Buzz Aldrin attended the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 Astronauts at the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill. During the ceremony, the committee presented the astronauts with a copy of House Resolution 607 honoring their achievements and announced the passage of legislation awarding them and [John Glenn](https://www.space.com/17263-john-glenn-astronaut-biography.html) the Congressional Gold Medal. [![Apollo 11 Astronauts, from left, Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden attend the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 Astronauts.](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/SrSSB3kfLNmpuoDtHjqmJR.jpg)]() Apollo 11 Astronauts, from left, Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and NASA Administrator Charles Bolden attend the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 Astronauts. (Image credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls) In a 2013 BBC documentary, Armstrong's brother, Dean, said that he knew of the [famous first words on the moon](https://www.space.com/19096-neil-armstrong-first-words-moon.html) several months before Apollo 11 touched down. Dean reported that Armstrong passed him a handwritten note as the brothers played a late-night game of Risk, according to British newspaper the Telegraph. However, Dean's remarks contradicted many statements by Armstrong himself, who said that the words didn't come to him until he arrived on the moon. The other Apollo 11 astronauts have also backed up Armstrong's assertions. In 2017, a rare [gold lunar model was stolen](https://www.space.com/37672-armstrong-museum-gold-lunar-model-stolen.html) from the Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta. "Entry to the museum was discovered and taken was a solid gold replica of the 1969 Lunar Excursion Module that landed on the moon," Russel Hunlock, Wapakoneta police chief, said in a release. "The piece is very rare as it was presented to Neil Armstrong in Paris, France, shortly after the moon landing." On Oct. 12, 2018, Universal Pictures released a Neil Armstrong biography based on James R. Hansen's book "First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong." The movie starred Ryan Gosling as Armstrong. The movie was embroiled in political controversy because the filmmakers decided not to include a scene where Armstrong plants an American flag on the moon's surface, despite the fact that Armstrong did so in reality. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida, tweeted, "This is total lunacy. And a disservice at a time when our people need reminders of what we can achieve when we work together." At the Venice Film Festival Gosling defended the filmmaker's choice, reported [The Telegraph](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2018/08/29/first-man-neil-armstrong-film-fails-fly-flag-us-patriotism/), saying, "I think \[the moon landing\] was widely regarded in the end as a human achievement \[and\] that's how we chose to view it." On Aug. 11, 2021, NASA [dedicated the Ohio test facility to Neil Armstrong](https://www.space.com/nasa-armstrong-test-facility-dedication). Armstrong had graciously declined the honor when he was originally asked, but on Wednesday (Aug. 11), nine years after Armstrong died and a week after what would have been his 91st birthday, a group of NASA officials and members of Congress gathered at a small dedication ceremony in Sandusky, Ohio. NASA’s Plum Brook Station is now known as The Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility. ### Additional resources You can explore 50 Neil Armstrong facts with this article from [Facts.net](https://facts.net/neil-armstrong-facts/) or read about Armstrong's life and dreams of space travel [in this book](https://target.georiot.com/Proxy.ashx?tsid=72128&GR_URL=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FFirst-Man-Life-Neil-Armstrong%2Fdp%2F1501153064%2Fref%3Dsr_1_1%3Fcrid%3DBJQQ16ZWQ4NQ%26keywords%3Dneil%2Barmstrong%26qid%3D1642694717%26sprefix%3Dneil%2Barmstron%252Caps%252C179%26sr%3D8-1%26tag%3Dhawk-future-20%26ascsubtag%3Dspace-us-1446214909360681650-20) by James R. Hansen. Discover more about Armstrong in [this informative article](https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/remembering-neil-armstrong) published by the Air and Space Museum. ### Bibliography - Sylvia Doughty Fries “[NASA Engineers and the Age of Apollo](https://history.nasa.gov/SP-4104.pdf)”, The NASA History Series. - Hansen, James R. “[First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong](https://books.google.co.uk/books?hl=en&lr=&id=rMS6JFuLgx4C&oi=fnd&pg=PR7&dq=neil+armstrong&ots=f4AULOszmw&sig=O9UZ5A95vIMcGVWCqVAgVtKbR_I&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=neil%20armstrong&f=false)”. Simon and Schuster, 2012. Share your thoughts 0 0 0 0 Join the community Join the Space.com Family! The best way to keep in touch and to be informed of our latest quizzes and competitions, as well as news and offers. Already have an account? Log in My Details Update your details below... Keep in the Know Would you like to be kept informed about new quizzes and offers from Future and its partners? 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Leaderboard \| Rank \| Player \| Score \| Time \| \|---\|---\|---\|---\| Elizabeth Howell (she/her), Ph.D., was a staff writer in the spaceflight channel between 2022 and 2024 specializing in Canadian space news. She was contributing writer for Space.com for 10 years from 2012 to 2024. Elizabeth's reporting includes multiple exclusives with the White House, leading world coverage about a lost-and-found space tomato on the International Space Station, witnessing five human spaceflight launches on two continents, flying parabolic, working inside a spacesuit, and participating in a simulated Mars mission. Her latest book, "Why Am I Taller?" (ECW Press, 2022) is co-written with astronaut Dave Williams.
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