This portrait of Neil Armstrong was taken for the Apollo 11 space mission.
When you think of explorers, the first name that might come to mind is Christopher Columbus. However, the world lost one of its greatest explorers when Neil Armstrong passed away on August 25, 2012. He was 82 years old. Instead of crossing an ocean in a large ship to explore an uncharted land, Armstrong became famous for leaving Earth entirely. He took a voyage into space aboard a rocket called Apollo 11. On July 20, 1969, he became the first person to walk on the moon. This was one of the greatest achievements in exploration in the history of humankind.
Neil Armstrong was born on his grandfather’s farm near Wapakoneta, Ohio, on August 5, 1930. As a young boy, Armstrong fell in love with flying. By the age of 15, he had saved enough money working odd jobs to pay for flying lessons. In 1946, he earned his pilot’s license.
In 1950, the Korean War began. Armstrong joined the United States Navy to serve as a pilot in the war. After the war, Armstrong earned a degree in aeronautical engineering, or the science of designing aircraft. Soon after graduation, he got a job as a test pilot. In 1962, Armstrong went to work for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, or NASA. He began training to be an astronaut. He made his first trip into space on March 6, 1966, as the commander of the Gemini 8 space mission.
Three years later, Armstrong was asked to command the historic Apollo 11 space mission. Armstrong and astronauts Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr., and Michael Collins began their journey at 9:32 A.M. on July 16, 1969. It took them four days to reach the moon. Armstrong and Aldrin worked together to land the Eagle lunar module on the surface of the moon. As commander, Armstrong had the honor of being the first person to walk on the moon. As he stepped off the Eagle’s ladder, he said, “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.” More than one billion people watched the “giant leap” on television.
Through his many accomplishments, Armstrong remained a humble person. After returning from the moon, he did not take advantage of his new fame. Instead, he chose to return to a private life. He continued to work for NASA as an administrator. Later, he became a college professor. Still, the world will always remember him as the great explorer who first set foot on the moon.
Image credit: NASA Kennedy Space Center
Related Links
- NASA – Neil Armstrong Image Gallery
Look at photos showing moments from Neil Armstrong’s life and career as well as images from his memorial service. - NASA – Partially Restored Apollo 11 Video
See video footage of the Apollo 11 mission, including Neil Armstrong’s famous first step on the moon.
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