Neil Armstrong: First man to walk on the moon
Neil Armstrong is most famously known for his role in the moon landing of 1969. Everyone knows “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” whether they know who said it or not. The moon landing was what ended the space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. This was the first mission in which anyone had ever put a man on the moon. Armstrong had already made contributions to his country by serving in the Korean War and being a part of an earlier mission in which he orbited earth. Armstrong was the mission’s commander for the moon landing and piloted the Lunar Module to the moon’s surface on July 20, 1969, four days after being launched. For about two and a half hours Armstrong and crew collected samples, conducted experiments and took pictures on the moon’s surface. The astronauts returned on July 24, 1969, after he spent eight days in space and on the moon.
Neil Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, on August 5, 1930. At an early age he was fascinated with flight and earned his pilot’s license when he was 16. Armstrong started his career in 1949 as a pilot for the U.S. Navy. After three years of service he began studying aeronautical engineering at Purdue University on a U.S. Navy scholarship. However, he did not complete his degree because he was called to serve in the Korean war. He left the service in 1952 and finished college. After earning his degree, Armstrong became a test pilot for NACA (the predecessor of NASA). After 17 years Armstrong was officially accepted to be an astronaut. He served as command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission and was the first man to dock two space vehicles.
The Apollo 11 mission, also known as the moon landing, was what gave Neil Armstrong his true fame. He was made mission commander of the first manned mission to the moon. After being in space for eight days, the Apollo 11 craft came down just west of Hawaii. The crew and craft were picked up by the U.S.S.Hornet. The three astronauts were quarantined for three weeks after they arrived. Armstrong is arguably the most famous astronaut to live. He was very significant to the Space Age and the U.S. His contributions have led to the space program we have today. .
Neil Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, on August 5, 1930. At an early age he was fascinated with flight and earned his pilot’s license when he was 16. Armstrong started his career in 1949 as a pilot for the U.S. Navy. After three years of service he began studying aeronautical engineering at Purdue University on a U.S. Navy scholarship. However, he did not complete his degree because he was called to serve in the Korean war. He left the service in 1952 and finished college. After earning his degree, Armstrong became a test pilot for NACA (the predecessor of NASA). After 17 years Armstrong was officially accepted to be an astronaut. He served as command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission and was the first man to dock two space vehicles.
The Apollo 11 mission, also known as the moon landing, was what gave Neil Armstrong his true fame. He was made mission commander of the first manned mission to the moon. After being in space for eight days, the Apollo 11 craft came down just west of Hawaii. The crew and craft were picked up by the U.S.S.Hornet. The three astronauts were quarantined for three weeks after they arrived. Armstrong is arguably the most famous astronaut to live. He was very significant to the Space Age and the U.S. His contributions have led to the space program we have today. .