Neil Armstrong (1930 – 2012) is known all over the world as the first person to walk on the Moon!
As a boy, Armstrong was a keen Boy Scout and earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He was always fascinated with flying, and earned his pilot's licence at only 16 - before he earned his driver's licence. Not many boys can fly before they can drive! He joined the US Navy as a pilot, serving in the Korean War. When he left the navy he became an experimental research test pilot - a dangerous job - and logged over 900 test flights and 2400 flying hours. In 1962 he joined the NASA Astronaut Corps and he first flew into space in 1966 on the Gemini 8.
In 1969 he was mission commander of the Apollo 11 moon landing. He and his fellow astronaut, Buzz Aldrin, left their spaceshift to walk on the surface of the moon and explored for over two hours, leaving a third astronaut, Michael Collins, to look after the ship. Armstrong and Aldrin collected samples to bring back down to Earth, and took photos of the lunar surface.
Neil Armstrong walking on the surface of the moon!
After Apollo 11, Armstrong started another career as a university professor of Aerospace Engineering. He also helped NASA with two space accident investigations, and became a spokesman for several businesses.
Over his career, Neil Armstrong flew over 200 different types of aircraft - but of course he will always be remembered as an astronaut and for his lunar landing. He received many medals for his extraordinary journey.
Neil Armstrong on the left, Michael Collins in the middle and Buzz Aldrin on the right.
Fun Facts: When they returned from the moon, the three astronauts were put into quarantine for three weeks. Who knows what bugs they might have picked up!
"This is one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."
Neil Armstrong