US president Barack Obama hailed Armstrong as one of America's greatest heroes. Other tributes have come flooding in for the astronaut as news of his death spread across the world. "While we mourn the loss of a very good man we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves." He served his nation proudly as a Navy fighter pilot, test pilot, and astronaut. Neil Armstrong was also a reluctant American hero who always believed he was just doing his job. Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend. It read: "We are heartbroken to share the news that Neil Armstrong has passed away following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures. His family released a statement on Saturday describing him as a "reluctant American hero who always believed he was just doing his job". His first words as he stepped on to the surface – "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" – instantly became one of the most recognisable phrases ever uttered.Īrmstrong underwent heart bypass surgery earlier this month, just two days after his birthday on 5 August, to relieve blocked arteries. Department of State (Public Domain).As commander of the Apollo 11 mission, he became the first person to set foot on the moon, on 20 July 1969, fulfilling the longheld dream of the United States to get there before the Soviet Union. Sadly, Neil died in 2012, but the progress that he made for space travel and our understanding of the Moon is still remembered today! Image credits: GPA Photo Archive, U.S. He never returned to life in the spotlight.ġ0) Neil won many awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969, the Hubbard Medal in 1970, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 1978 and the General James E. He found the press attention exhausting, and decided that he wanted to be a teacher of engineering in his home state of Ohio. After the Apollo 11 Mission, Neil only stayed with NASA for a further two years. In 2017, the samples were sold at auction for £1.4 million - wow!ĩ) Neil was considered a great American hero, but a reluctant hero, too.
Neil said that while there, he could hold up his thumb and block out the Earth! He said that the Moon felt lonely, but that it made him realise just how beautiful our home is.Ĩ) When Neil and his co-pilot, Buzz, were on the moon, they collected dust materials from the moon’s surface to study back on Earth. It’s where the now famous saying, “The Eagle has landed”, comes from!ħ) Not only were Neil and Buzz the first humans to step foot on the moon, but they were also the first humans to view Earth from the moon’s surface. president at the time, Richard Nixon, on their return from the Apollo 11 mission.Ħ) The Lunar Module that Neil and Buzz piloted together to land on the moon was called the Eagle. When Neil stepped foot on the moon for the first time, he said the now famous line, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”Ĥ) Neil walked a distance of about 60 metres on the surface of the moon -that’s roughly the length of 11 Asian elephants!ĥ) The rocket that launched Neil and his crew into space – the Saturn V rocket – was as tall as a 36-storey building! The Launch Control Center – which housed the team of people responsible for overseeing the launch from the ground – was situated 3.5 miles from the launch pad itself. Neil and Buzz landed on the moon using the ‘Lunar Module’, while Michael guided them from their command base.ģ) Around the world, more than half a billion people watched the Moon Landing. Clever! The Apollo 11 crew – Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Edwin E. He got his student pilot’s licence when he was just 16 - before he even learned to drive a car!ģ) When Neil was 17, he went to university to study aeronautical engineering - the science used in the designing, building and testing of aircrafts. “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins.Ģ) When Neil was a child growing up in rural America, he loved to learn all about aeroplanes and space. He completed the mission alongside co-pilots Edwin E.
Occupation: Astronaut, military pilot, professorīest known for: Being the first human to walk on the moonġ) Neil Armstrong was the first human to walk on the moon during the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Apollo 11 mission on 20th July 1969. Learn about the first man who walked on the Moon in our 10 amazing Neil Armstrong facts… Neil Armstrong facts Neil in his (at the time) state-of-the-art NASA spacesuit - without the helmet!
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