Neil Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio. He joined the group that would become NASA after participating in the Korean War and finishing college. Armstrong joined NASA in 1962 and was the command pilot for his first mission, Gemini VIII, in 1966. He was the commander of Apollo 11, the first manned lunar mission, and the first man to set foot on the moon. Armstrong died in 2012, shortly after receiving heart surgery in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Military Service
Armstrong was fascinated by flight from a young age and received his student pilot’s certificate when he was 16. Armstrong began his studies in aeronautical engineering at Purdue University on a scholarship from the United States Navy in 1947.
Armstrong trained as a pilot in the Navy as part of his scholarship in 1949. He entered active service in the Korean War two years later, flying 78 combat flights during the fight.
Armstrong returned to college after being released from military duty in 1952.
Joining NASA
Armstrong joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which ultimately became the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) a few years later. He worked for this government agency in a variety of roles, including as a test pilot and an engineer. He flew various high-speed planes, including the X-15, which had a top speed of 4,000 miles per hour.
Astronaut Program
Armstrong joined NASA’s astronaut program in 1962. Armstrong and his family relocated to Houston, Texas, where he served as the command pilot for his first mission, Gemini VIII. On March 16, 1966, he and colleague astronaut David Scott were launched into Earth’s orbit. They were able to dock their space capsule with the Gemini Agena target spacecraft momentarily while in orbit. This was the first time two spacecraft successfully docked. However, they encountered some difficulties during this move and were forced to stop their mission short. They were recovered by the USS Mason after landing in the Pacific Ocean about 11 hours after the operation began.
Moon Landing
In 1969, Armstrong faced an even greater task. He was a member of NASA’s first manned journey to the moon, along with Michael Collins and Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin. On July 16, 1969, the trio was launched into space. On July 20, 1969, as mission commander, Armstrong flew the Lunar Module to the moon’s surface, with Aldrin aboard. Collins remained in command of the Command Module.
Armstrong stepped out of the Lunar Module at 10:56 p.m. “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” he declared as he took his iconic first step on the moon. Armstrong and Aldrin collected samples and conducted tests for nearly two and a half hours. They also photographed themselves, including their own footprints.
The Apollo 11 spacecraft crashed in the Pacific Ocean west of Hawaii on July 24, 1969. The USS Hornet picked up the crew and the craft, and the three astronauts were quarantined for three weeks.
The three Apollo 11 astronauts were greeted warmly upon their return. Crowds packed New York City streets to cheer on the famous heroes honored in a ticker-tape procession. Armstrong was awarded the Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Space Medal of Honor for his achievements.
Later Contributions
Armstrong stayed with NASA until 1971, acting as deputy associate administrator for aeronautics. After leaving NASA, he became a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati. Armstrong stayed at the university for an additional eight years. From 1982 to 1992, he was the chairman of Computing Technologies for Aviation, Inc., a company he founded.
Armstrong served as vice chairman of the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986, lending a hand at a difficult time. The commission investigated the Challenger explosion on January 28, 1986, which killed the ship’s crew, including schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe.
Despite being one of the most famous astronauts in history, Armstrong mostly avoided the spotlight. In a rare interview with 60 Minutes’ Ed Bradley in 2005, he characterized the moon as follows: “It’s a brilliant surface in that sunlight. The horizon seems quite close to you because the curvature is so much more pronounced than here on earth. It’s an interesting place to be. I recommend it.”
Armstrong remained dedicated to space exploration even in his final years. The press-averse astronaut returned to the spotlight in 2010 to express his displeasure with changes to the US space program. He spoke before Congress in opposition to former President Barack Obama‘s decision to scrap the Constellation program, which included another lunar mission. Obama also hoped to persuade private enterprises to enter the space travel sector and to pursue more unmanned space missions.
Taking this new decision, according to Armstrong, would cost the United States its lead in space exploration. “America is respected for its contributions it has made in learning to sail on this new ocean. If the leadership we have acquired through our investment is simply allowed to fade away, other nations will surely step in where we have faltered. I do not believe that would be in our best interests,” he told Congress.
‘First Man’ Book and Movie
First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong, the renowned astronaut’s authorized biography, was published in 2005. It was written by James R. Hansen, who interviewed Armstrong, his family, friends, and associates.
First Man, a biopic based on the book, was released in theaters in 2018. Damien Chazelle directed the picture, which starred Ryan Gosling as Armstrong and Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, and Kyle Chandler in supporting parts.
Personal Life
On January 28, 1956, Armstrong married Janet Shearon. The couple quickly expanded their family. Eric was born in 1957, and Karen was born in 1959. Karen died in January 1962 as a result of complications from an incurable brain tumor. The Armstrongs welcomed their third child, son Mark, the following year.
Armstrong married his second wife, Carol Held Knight, after his divorce from Janet in 1994.
Death & Controversy
Armstrong had a cardiac bypass surgery in August 2012 at a hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio. Armstrong, 82, died two weeks later, on August 25, 2012, as a result of complications from the operation.
His family issued the following statement shortly after his death: “For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. 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.”
News of Armstrong’s death quickly spread around the world. President Obama was among those offering tributes to the late space pioneer, declaring: “Neil was among the greatest of American heroes — not just of his time, but of all time.”
Aldrin added: “I know I am joined by millions of others in mourning the passing of a true American hero and the best pilot I ever knew. My friend Neil took the small step but giant leap that changed the world and will forever be remembered as a landmark moment in human history.”
The New York Times reported on a previously unreported issue regarding the astronaut’s death in July 2019, just after celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. According to The New York Times, once Armstrong arrived at Mercy Health — Fairfield Hospital in August 2012 with indications of cardiac disease, doctors made the controversial decision to undergo bypass surgery right away. Following that, when the removal of temporary wires for a pacemaker caused internal bleeding, another questionable decision was made to transport Armstrong to a catheterization lab rather than directly to a surgical room.
The hospital subsequently agreed a $6 million deal with Armstrong’s surviving family, with the caveat that the facts of the medical care and settlement remain confidential.