neil armstrong biography

Neil Armstrong

Astronaut, military pilot and educator, Neil Armstrong made history on July 20, 1969, by becoming the first man to walk on the moon.

(1930-2012)

Who Was Neil Armstrong?

Neil Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, on August 5, 1930. After serving in the Korean War and then finishing college, he joined the organization that would become NASA. Armstrong entered the astronaut program in 1962, and was command pilot for his first mission, Gemini VIII, in 1966. He was spacecraft commander for Apollo 11 , the first manned lunar mission, and became the first man to walk on the moon. Armstrong died shortly after undergoing heart surgery in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2012.

Military Service

Armstrong developed a fascination with flight at an early age and earned his student pilot's license when he was 16. In 1947, Armstrong began his studies in aeronautical engineering at Purdue University on a U.S. Navy scholarship.

In 1949, as part of his scholarship, Armstrong trained as a pilot in the Navy. He began seeing active service in the Korean War two years later and went on to fly 78 combat missions during this military conflict.

After earning his release from active duty in 1952, Armstrong returned to college.

Joining NASA

A few years later, Armstrong joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which later became the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). For this government agency, he worked in a number of different capacities, including serving as a test pilot and an engineer. He tested many high-speed aircraft, including the X-15, which could reach a top speed of 4,000 miles per hour.

Astronaut Program

In 1962, Armstrong entered the NASA astronaut program. He and his family moved to Houston, Texas, and Armstrong served as the command pilot for his first mission, Gemini VIII. He and fellow astronaut David Scott were launched into the earth's orbit on March 16, 1966. While in orbit, they were able to briefly dock their space capsule with the Gemini Agena target vehicle. This was the first time two vehicles had successfully docked in space. During this maneuver, however, they experienced some problems and had to cut their mission short. They landed in the Pacific Ocean nearly 11 hours after the mission's start and were later rescued by the U.S.S. Mason .

Moon Landing

Armstrong faced an even bigger challenge in 1969. Along with Michael Collins and Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin , he was part of NASA's first manned mission to the moon. The trio was launched into space on July 16, 1969. Serving as the mission's commander, Armstrong piloted the Lunar Module to the moon's surface on July 20, 1969, with Aldrin aboard. Collins remained on the Command Module.

At 10:56 p.m., Armstrong exited the Lunar Module. He said, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," as he made his famous first step on the moon. For about two and a half hours, Armstrong and Aldrin collected samples and conducted experiments. They also took photographs, including their own footprints.

Returning on July 24, 1969, the Apollo 11 craft came down in the Pacific Ocean west of Hawaii. The crew and the craft were picked up by the U.S.S. Hornet , and the three astronauts were put into quarantine for three weeks.

Before long, the three Apollo 11 astronauts were given a warm welcome home. Crowds lined the streets of New York City to cheer on the famous heroes who were honored in a ticker-tape parade. Armstrong received numerous awards for his efforts, including the Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.

Later Contributions

Armstrong remained with NASA, serving as deputy associate administrator for aeronautics until 1971. After leaving NASA, he joined the faculty of the University of Cincinnati as a professor of aerospace engineering. Armstrong remained at the university for eight years. Staying active in his field, he served as the chairman of Computing Technologies for Aviation, Inc., from 1982 to 1992.

Helping out at a difficult time, Armstrong served as vice chairman of the Presidential Commission on the space shuttle Challenger accident in 1986. The commission investigated the explosion of the Challenger on January 28, 1986, which took the lives of its crew, including schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe .

Despite being one of the most famous astronauts in history, Armstrong largely shied away from the public eye. In a rare interview for the news program 60 Minutes in 2005, he described the moon to interviewer Ed Bradley: "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."

Even in his final years, Armstrong remained committed to space exploration. The press-shy astronaut returned to the spotlight in 2010 to express his concerns over changes made to the U.S. space program. He testified in Congress against President Barack Obama 's decision to cancel the Constellation program, which included another mission to the moon. Obama also sought to encourage private companies to get involved in the space travel business and to move forward with more unmanned space missions.

Taking this new decision, Armstrong said, would cost the United States its leadership position 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

The iconic astronaut's authorized biography, First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong , was published in 2005. It was written by James R. Hansen, who conducted interviews with Armstrong, as well as his family, friends and associates.

The book was later adapted for a biopic, with First Man hitting theaters in 2018. Directed by Damien Chazelle , the film starred Ryan Gosling as Armstrong, with Claire Foy, Jason Clarke and Kyle Chandler in supporting roles.

Personal Life

Armstrong married Janet Shearon on January 28, 1956. The couple soon added to their family. Son Eric arrived in 1957, followed by daughter Karen in 1959. Sadly, Karen died of complications related to an inoperable brain tumor in January 1962. The following year, the Armstrongs welcomed their third child, son Mark.

Following his divorce from Janet in 1994, Armstrong married his second wife, Carol Held Knight.

Death & Controversy

Armstrong underwent a heart bypass operation at a hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio, in August 2012. Two weeks later, on August 25, 2012, the 82-year-old Armstrong died of complications from the operation.

Shortly after his death, his family released a statement: "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."

In July 2019, shortly after celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, The New York Times reported on a previously unknown controversy surrounding the astronaut's death. According to The Times , after Armstrong checked into Mercy Health — Fairfield Hospital with symptoms of heart disease in August 2012, doctors made a questionable decision to immediately perform bypass surgery. Afterward, when the removal of temporary wires for a pacemaker resulted in internal bleeding, another questionable move was made to bring Armstrong to a catheterization lab instead of directly to an operating room.

The hospital eventually reached a $6 million settlement with Armstrong's surviving family, with the stipulation that the details surrounding the medical care and settlement remain private.

QUICK FACTS

• Name: Neil Armstrong
• Birth Year: 1930
• Birth date: August 5, 1930
• Birth State: Ohio
• Birth City: Wapakoneta
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Astronaut, military pilot and educator, Neil Armstrong made history on July 20, 1969, by becoming the first man to walk on the moon.
• Space Exploration
• Science and Medicine
• Astrological Sign: Leo
• University of Cincinnati
• Purdue University
• Death Year: 2012
• Death date: August 25, 2012
• Death State: Ohio
• Death City: Cincinnati
• Death Country: United States

We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us !

• 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. [Describing the moon.]
• That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.
• 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.
• The exciting part for me, as a pilot, was the landing on the moon.
• A century hence, 2000 may be viewed as quite a primitive period in human history. It's something to hope for.
• There are great ideas undiscovered, breakthroughs available to those who can remove one of truth's protective layers. There are places to go beyond belief.
• I think we're going to the moon because it's in the nature of the human being to face challenges. It's by the nature of his deep inner soul. We're required to do these things just as salmon swim upstream.
• Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed.

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Neil Armstrong

By: History.com Editors

Published: September 26, 2023

On July 20, 1969, astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon, arguably the greatest technological achievement in human history. The moon landing made Armstrong famous, but the Navy pilot from Ohio was never comfortable with the spotlight. Right up until his death in 2012, Armstrong deflected praise for his role in the historic Apollo 11 mission , echoing his famous words as he first stepped onto the lunar surface: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Early Life and Korean War

Neil Armstrong always wanted to fly. He was born on August 5, 1930 near Wapakoneta, Ohio, less than 60 miles from the Wright brothers’ workshop in Dayton. In 1936, when he was six years old, young Neil rode in his first airplane, a “Tin Goose” Ford tri-motor passenger plane. He was hooked. At 16, Armstrong earned his student pilot’s license, even before he had a driver’s license.

In 1947, Armstrong attended Purdue University on a Naval scholarship, studying aeronautical engineering. As part of his scholarship, the Navy trained Armstrong as a fighter pilot in Florida. His college studies were interrupted by the outbreak of the Korean War , where Armstrong flew 78 combat missions. His aircraft, the F-9F Panther jet, was one of the first jet fighters to launch from a carrier. 

NASA Test Pilot

After finishing college, Armstrong went to work for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which became the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1958. The mild-mannered kid from Ohio made his name as one of the most daring and skilled test pilots at NASA’s Flight Research Center (now the Armstrong Flight Research Center) at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

During seven years as a test pilot, Armstrong flew 200 different aircraft that pushed the limits of speed and altitude, including the legendary X-15. High over the California desert, Armstrong reached speeds of more than 4,000 mph and took the needle-nosed X-15 to the edge of space. Armstrong’s steady hand as a test pilot was instrumental to the success of NASA’s first Mercury astronauts . Soon he’d become one of them.

The Gemini Program

1962 was a year of joy and heartache for the Armstrong family. Neil was chosen for NASA’s astronaut training program in Houston, but he and his wife Janet also lost their second child, a two-year-old daughter named Karen, to an inoperable brain tumor.

Armstrong buried himself in his work preparing for the Gemini program, NASA’s next step toward reaching the moon. In 1966, Armstrong was chosen as command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission, the first time that NASA astronauts would attempt to connect two spacecraft in orbit, a difficult and dangerous maneuver known as “rendezvous and docking.”

In March, 1966, Armstrong and his copilot David Scott rocketed into orbit and successfully docked with the target spacecraft Agena, but things quickly went awry. A thruster on the Gemini 8 capsule malfunctioned and the two interlocked spacecraft began to veer off course. To avoid burning up in the Earth’s atmosphere, Armstrong detached from the Agena, but the release of the Agena’s weight sent the Gemini capsule into an uncontrolled spin.

The G-forces created by the end-over-end spin were crushing and both astronauts were on the verge of losing consciousness when Armstrong activated a set of secondary thrusters and wrestled the Gemini capsule back under control. There’s no doubt that Armstrong’s test pilot nerves saved both astronauts’ lives.

The Moon Landing

Armstrong was selected for the Apollo program, the final push to the moon, but he almost never made it back to space. On May 6, 1968, Armstrong was in Houston conducting his 22nd test flight of the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle, an ungainly practice aircraft. Without warning, the LLRV veered out of control. Armstrong ejected and parachuted to safety, seconds before the LLRV crashed in a fiery explosion.

Undaunted, Armstrong continued his training and was chosen by NASA as the spacecraft commander for Apollo 11, the mission to land the first men on the moon. His crewmates were Michael Collins , pilot of the command module that orbited the moon, and Buzz Aldrin , the lunar module pilot. Aldrin lobbied hard to be the first to step on the lunar surface, but the NASA brass chose Armstrong for his calm confidence and total lack of ego.

Those trademark nerves were on display on July 20, 1969 as Armstrong piloted the Lunar Module toward the surface of the moon. With fuel running dangerously low, Armstrong switched to manual control to steer the fragile spacecraft away from a field of “Volkswagen”-sized boulders and land the astronauts safely in the silty lunar soil.

As millions watched the live broadcast on their televisions, the shy pilot from Ohio descended the ladder of the Lunar Module and uttered his now-famous words: “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.” Because of the static-filled connection, the “a” was inaudible, but Armstrong insisted that he said it.

Life After the Moon Landing

Overnight, Armstrong became the most famous man alive. Four million spectators lined the streets of New York City to welcome home Armstrong and his fellow Apollo 11 astronauts in a ticker-tape parade. But Armstrong wasn’t in it for the fame and accolades. He quietly went back to a desk job at NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C., then earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California in 1970.

Armstrong retired from NASA in 1971 and took a job as an engineering professor at the University of Cincinnati in his home state of Ohio. In 1986, he joined the Rogers Commission investigating the tragic Challenger shuttle explosion . Later, Armstrong served on a number of corporate boards in the aerospace industry and testified before Congress about the importance of maintaining a manned space program.  

In 2005, Armstrong consented to a rare television interview on 60 Minutes , in which he was asked directly if he was uncomfortable with the fame of being the first man on the moon. “No, I just don’t deserve it,” replied Armstrong, smiling. “Circumstance put me into that particular role. That wasn’t planned by anyone.”

In 2012, Armstrong went in for heart bypass surgery and the 82-year-old astronaut died of complications.

HISTORY Vault: The Apollo 11 Moon Landing

This documentary unearths lost tapes of the Apollo 11 astronauts, and explores the dangers and challenges of the mission to the moon.

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Neil a. armstrong.

Research pilot, astronaut, and first man to set foot on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission.

Quick Facts

November 1957: NACA research pilot Neil A. Armstrong made three flights in the X-1B to validate the Reaction Control System (RCS) – small thrusters used to stabilize or redirect a vehicle in a near vacuum.

April 20, 1962: Armstrong completed longest flight in X-15 (12 minutes, 28 seconds); it was an accident. Armstrong was actively engaged in piloting and engineering aspects of the X-15 program from its inception.

May 6, 1968: Astronaut Armstrong, Apollo 11 mission commander, was forced to eject from the Lunar Landing Training Vehicle seconds before it crashed.

July 16, 1969: The 363-feet tall, 6.2 million pound Saturn V rocket launches on the Apollo 11 mission from Kennedy Space Center. Onboard are astronauts Neil A. Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, command module pilot; and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot. Apollo 11 was the United States’ first manned, lunar landing mission.

July 20, 1969 : Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin land on the Moon. Armstrong, commander, took this picture of Aldrin with a 70mm Hasselblad lunar surface camera.

March 1, 2014: NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center is redesignated NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center. Legislation was signed into law by President Obama in January 2014 to rename NASA Dryden after the late Neil A. Armstrong.

First man to set foot on the Moon.

Neil A. Armstrong served as a naval aviator from 1949 to 1952 before joining the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics at the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory in 1955. Later that year, he transferred to the NACA’s High-Speed Flight Station in Edwards, California, as an aeronautical research scientist and then as a pilot, a position he held until becoming an astronaut in 1962. He was one of nine NASA astronauts in the second class to be chosen.

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Neil Armstrong

Neil Armstrong made history as the first human to walk on the Moon, travelling to there as the commander of Apollo 11. 

About Neil Armstrong

What He Carried With Him

What he said, how we saw his first steps, recieving the congressional medal of honor.

With 25 layers of protective materials, weighing in at 81 pounds, the spacesuits worn by Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins were a feat of engineering and crucial for protecting the astronauts and enabling them to perform their duties on the Moon. During the summer of 2015, the National Air and Space Museum embarked on a Kickstarter campaign to help conserve, digitize, and display Neil Armstrong's Apollo 11 spacesuit. Take a closer look at the suit, and how we conserved it.

Armstrong and Apollo 11 in the Collection

Apollo 11 was not Armstrong's first time in space. He previously flew on Gemini VIII in 1965, where he and astronaut David Scott were the first people to dock two vehicles in space successfully.

The successful docking was quickly followed by the first life-threatening, in-flight emergency in the short history of the U.S. human spaceflight program. Gemini VIII, joined to its Agena target vehicle, began spinning and gyrating; when the astronauts undocked, Gemini’s rotation accelerated to the point where the crew could black out and die. Together with his crew mates, Armstrong's cool handling of the situation saved their lives.

About the In-Flight Emergency

The Gemini VIII spacecraft, shown here, was used to carry out the first docking of two spacecraft in history. The spacecraft was an enlarged, redesigned version of the one-person spacecraft used during the Mercury program. It had two major units. The reentry module held the crew cabin and heat shield. Behind it was the adapter, which consisted of two sections. The equipment section carried fuel, oxygen, and power supplies. The retrograde section carried retrorockets that slowed the spacecraft to make it fall out of orbit. Using small rockets on the adapter, the astronauts could not only change their orientation in space, but also their orbital path. 

Prior to his time as an astronaut, Armstrong was a student pilot, a Navy pilot, an aeronautical engineer, and eventually a test pilot for NASA.

His love of flight and engineering drew him to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) where he was accepted as an experimental test pilot soon after his graduation. While at the NACA, which was the predecessor to NASA, Armstrong flew a wide range of different aircraft including all of the Century series fighters for which he was the project pilot. All told, Armstrong flew more than 200 different types of aircraft in his storied career. Noted for his engineering excellence and technical capability as a pilot, Armstrong became one of only 12 pilots to fly the ultimate experimental aircraft – the North American X-15. 

Armstrong left NASA in 1971 to become a professor of aerospace engineering, dedicating the rest of his life to education. He passed away at age 82 in August 2012. 

Remembering Neil Armstrong

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Biography of Neil Armstrong

The First Man to Walk on the Moon

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On July 20, 1969, one of the most momentous actions of all time took place not on Earth but on another world. Astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped out of the lunar lander Eagle, descended a ladder, and set foot on the surface of the Moon. Then, he spoke the most famous words of the 20th Century: "It's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind". His action was the culmination of years of research and development, success and failure, all sustained by both the U.S. and then-Soviet Union in the race to the Moon.

Fast Facts: Neil Alden Armstrong

• Birth : August 5, 1930
• Death : August 25, 2012
• Parents : Stephen Koenig Armstrong and Viola Louise Engle
• Spouse : Married twice, once to Janet Armstrong, then to Carol Held Knight, 1994
• Children : Karen Armstrong, Eric Armstrong, Mark Armstrong
• Education : Purdue University, Masters' Degree from USC.
• Main Accomplishments : Navy test pilot, NASA astronaut for Gemini missions and Apollo 11, which he commanded. The first person to set foot on the Moon.

Neil Armstrong was born August 5, 1930, on a farm in Wapakoneta, Ohio. His parents, Stephen K. Armstrong and Viola Engel, raised him in a series of towns in Ohio while his father worked as a state auditor. As a youth, Neil held many jobs, but none more exciting than one at the local airport. After starting flying lessons at the age of 15, he got his pilot's license on his 16th birthday, before he had even earned a driver's license. After his high school years at Blume High School in Wapakonetica, Armstrong decided to pursue a degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University before committing to serving in the Navy. 

In 1949, Armstrong was called to Pensacola Naval Air Station before he could complete his degree. There he earned his wings at the age of 20, the youngest pilot in his squadron. He flew 78 combat mission in Korea, earning three medals, including the Korean Service Medal. Armstrong was sent home before the conclusion of the war and finished his bachelors degree in 1955.

Testing New Boundaries

After college, Armstrong decided to try his hand as a test pilot. He applied to National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) — the agency that preceded NASA — as a test pilot, but was turned down. So, he took a post at Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio. However, it was less than a year before Armstrong transferred to Edwards Air Force Base (AFB) in California to work at NACA's High Speed Flight Station.

During his tenure at Edwards Armstrong conducted test flights of more than 50 types of experimental aircraft, logging 2,450 hours of flight time. Among his accomplishments in these aircraft, Armstrong was able to achieve speeds of Mach 5.74 (4,000 mph or 6,615 km/h) and an altitude of 63,198 meters (207,500 feet), but in the X-15 aircraft.

Armstrong had a technical efficiency in his flying that was the envy of most of his colleagues. However, he was criticized by some of the non-engineering pilots, including Chuck Yeager and Pete Knight, who observed that his technique was "too mechanical". They argued that flying was, at least in part, feel, that it was something that didn't come naturally to the engineers. This sometimes got them into trouble.

While Armstrong was a comparatively successful test pilot, he was involved in several aerial incidents that didn't work out so well. One of the most famous occurred when he was sent in an F-104 to investigate Delamar Lake as a potential emergency landing site. After an unsuccessful landing damaged the radio and hydraulic system, Armstrong headed toward Nellis Air Force Base. When he tried to land, the tail hook of the plane lowered due to the damaged hydraulic system and caught the arresting wire on the airfield. The plane slid out of control down the runway, dragging the anchor chain along with it.

The problems didn't end there. Pilot Milt Thompson was dispatched in an F-104B to retrieve Armstrong. However, Milt had never flown that aircraft and ended up blowing one of the tires during a hard landing. The runway was then closed for the second time that day to clear the landing path of debris. A third aircraft was sent to Nellis, piloted by Bill Dana. But Bill almost landed his T-33 Shooting Star long, prompting Nellis to send the pilots back to Edwards using ground transportation.

Crossing Into Space

In 1957, Armstrong was selected for the "Man In Space Soonest" (MISS) program. Then in September 1963, he was selected as the first American civilian to fly in space. 

Three years later, Armstrong was the command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission, which launched March 16. Armstrong and his crew performed the first-ever docking with another spacecraft, an unmanned Agena target vehicle. After 6.5 hours in orbit they were able to dock with the craft, but due to complications, they were unable to complete what would have been the third-ever "extra-vehicular activity", now referred to as a spacewalk.

Armstrong also served as the CAPCOM, who is typically the only person who to communicate directly with the astronauts during missions to space. He did this for the Gemini 11 mission. However, it was not until the Apollo program began that Armstrong again ventured into space.

The Apollo Program

Armstrong was commander of the backup crew of the Apollo 8 mission, though he had been originally scheduled to back-up the Apollo 9 mission. (Had he remained as the   backup commander, he would have been slated to command Apollo 12 , not  Apollo 11 .)

Initially, Buzz Aldrin , the Lunar Module Pilot, was to be the first to set foot on the Moon. However, because of the positions of the astronauts in the module, it would require Aldrin to physically crawl over Armstrong to reach the hatch. As such, it was decided that it would be easier for Armstrong to exit the module first upon landing.

Apollo 11 touched down on the surface of the Moon on July 20, 1969, at which point Armstrong declared, "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." Apparently, Armstrong had only seconds of fuel left before the thrusters would cut out. If that had happened, the lander would have plummeted to the surface. That didn't happen, much to everyone's relief. Armstrong and Aldrin exchanged congratulations before quickly preparing the lander to launch off the surface in case of an emergency.

Humanity's Greatest Achievement

On July 20, 1969, Armstrong made his way down the ladder from the Lunar Lander and, upon reaching the bottom declared "I'm going to step off the LEM now." As his left boot made contact with the surface he then spoke the words that defined a generation, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

About 15 minutes after exiting the module, Aldrin joined him on the surface and they began investigating the lunar surface. They planted the American flag, collected rock samples, took images and video, and transmitted their impressions back to Earth.

The final task carried out by Armstrong was to leave behind a package of memorial items in remembrance of deceased Soviet cosmonauts  Yuri Gagarin  and Vladimir Komarov, and   Apollo 1  astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee. All told, Armstrong and Aldrin spent 2.5 hours on the lunar surface, paving the way for other Apollo missions.

The astronauts then returned to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969. Armstrong was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor bestowed upon civilians, as well as a host of other medals from NASA and other countries.

Life After Space

After his Moon trip, Neil Armstrong completed a master's degree in aerospace engineering at the University of Southern California and worked as an administrator with NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). He next turned his attention to education and accepted a teaching position at the University of Cincinnati with the Department of Aerospace Engineering. He held this appointment until 1979. Armstrong also served on two investigation panels. The first was after the  Apollo 13  incident, while the second came after the  Challenger explosion .

Armstrong lived much of his life after NASA life outside the public eye, and worked in private industry and consulted for NASA until his retirement. He made occasional public appearances until shortly before his death on August 25, 2012. His ashes were buried at sea in the Atlantic Ocean the following month.  His words and deeds live on in the annals of space exploration, and he was widely admired by space explorers and space enthusiasts around the world.

• Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Neil Armstrong.” Encyclopædia Britannica , Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 1 Aug. 2018, www.britannica.com/biography/Neil-Armstrong.

Chaikin, Andrew. A Man on the Moon . Time-Life, 1999.

Dunbar, Brian. “Biography of Neil Armstrong.” NASA , NASA, 10 Mar. 2015, www.nasa.gov/centers/glenn/about/bios/neilabio.html.

Wilford, John Noble. “Neil Armstrong, First Man on the Moon, Dies at 82.” The New York Times , The New York Times, 25 Aug. 2012, www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/science/space/neil-armstrong-dies-first-man-on-moon.html.

Edited by Carolyn Collins Petersen.

• Michael Collins, Astronaut Who Piloted Apollo 11's Command Module
• History of the Apollo 11 Mission, "One Giant Leap for Mankind"
• Neil Armstrong Quotes
• The Space Race of the 1960s
• Project Gemini: NASA's Early Steps to Space
• The Evolution of the Space Suit
• 16 Black Americans in Astronomy and Space
• Biography of Michael J. Smith, Challenger Astronaut
• Robert Henry Lawrence, Jr.
• Visiting the Johnson Houston Space Center
• The Life of Guion "Guy" Bluford: NASA Astronaut
• Biography of Scott Kelly, Astronaut Who Spent a Year in Space
• Alan Shepard: First American in Space
• Dr. Mae C. Jemison: Astronaut and Visionary
• Biography of Judith Resnik, Second American Woman in Space
• The Life and Times of Dr. Ronald E. McNair

Biography Online

Neil Armstrong Biography

“That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”

– Neil Armstrong (21 July 1969)

Early life Neil Armstrong

Armstrong was born 5 August 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio, US. He attended Blue High School and took flying lessons while still a student; by the time he was 16, he had gained his flight certificate. Aged 17, he studied aeronautical engineering at Purdue University, turning down a chance to study at MIT. His studies were partly financed by the US Navy and, after his first two years, he was called up to the Navy for flight training, where he qualified to be a naval aviator.

In 1951, he was sent to the Korean War where he took part in active service, including an emergency ejection after his plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire. He flew 78 missions during the Korean War before returning to Purdue to finish his degree.

In 1955, he graduated with a B.A. in aeronautical engineering. After graduation, he applied to be a test pilot for NACA – the High-Speed Flight Station, at Edwards Air Force Base. This involved testing new high-speed aircraft for the US military. This included pioneering new rocket planes, such as the Bell X-1B and North American X-14.

Neil Armstrong and the X 15

As a test pilot, Armstrong became known for his natural flying ability and willingness to take risks – stretching the boundaries of what was possible. He was also one of the most technically capable engineers.

In 1958, he was selected for the US Air Force’s Man in Space Soonest programme. Later, in 1962, he was later selected for the Apollo program – which aimed to put a man in space and land on the moon. In J.F. Kennedy’s address to Congress of 25 May 1961, he had put landing on the moon as a primary goal for America.

“Landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth – by the end of the 1960s.”

The space project was also infused with Cold War symbolism with an unofficial space race taking place with America’s ideological enemy – the Soviet Union. After the Soviets became the first to put a man in space, there was even greater pressure for America to win the prize of putting a man on the moon. On the 40th anniversary of the Apollo Mission, Armstrong said that the moon race was a helpful diversion from Cold War tensions.

“I’ll not assert that it was a diversion which prevented a war, but nevertheless, it was a diversion.” (2009)

In the early 1960s, Armstrong took part in Project Gemini – flying spacecraft in long-duration space-flight. This gave NASA and Armstrong valuable experience for the more ambitious targets of the Apollo missions.

Apollo 11 Mission

In December 1968, Armstrong was chosen to be the commander for Apollo 11, which would be the first planned mission to dock and land on the moon. Armstrong was chosen to be the first person who would have the distinction of walking on the moon. Some suggest NASA chose Armstrong because he didn’t have a large ego.

“It suddenly struck me that that tiny pea, pretty and blue, was the Earth. I put up my thumb and shut one eye, and my thumb blotted out the planet Earth. I didn’t feel like a giant. I felt very, very small.”

― Neil Armstrong

His fellow crew members were Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin.

Crew of Apollo 11

The Apollo 11 launch was a success, and after a tricky descent, Armstrong manually landed the lunar module on 20 July 1969. Armstrong said later that it was the lunar landing, which was the trickiest part of the trip.

“The landing approach was, by far, the most difficult and challenging part of the flight.”

After checking fuel and other checklists, Armstrong got ready to leave the craft and walk on the moon. He left the Apollo Lunar module and touched the moon surface at 2.56 UTC 21 July 1969. On taking the first steps on the moon, he said the famous words:

Armstrong later said he never planned the words in advance; one reason was that they were never certain of success. He felt there was only a 50% chance of making a successful moon landing. He later said:

“I was elated, ecstatic and extremely surprised that we were successful”

The words and pictures were broadcast on radio and made headlines across the world. In a telephone interview with US President Richard Nixon, Neil Armstrong spoke of the mission

It’s a great honor and privilege for us to be here representing not only the United States but men of peace of all nations, and with interests and the curiosity and with the vision for the future. It’s an honor for us to be able to participate here today.

On their return to the US, they were fêted as heroes and embarked on tours of the US and the world. This included a vista to the Soviet Union in May 1970.

When asked about the moon project, Armstrong was always proud of his contribution. He said

“I think we’re going to the moon because it’s in the nature of the human being to face challenges. It’s by the nature of his deep inner soul … we’re required to do these things just as salmon swim upstream.”

Apollo mission press conference (1969)

After the Apollo flight, Armstrong retired from space missions and accepted a teaching position at the University of Cincinnati. He also served as a spokesperson for several businesses, including advertising campaigns for US car producer Chrysler. Armstrong also served on crash investigation commissions which looked at aircraft disasters, such as Challenger.

Armstrong married his first wife Janet Jearon in 1956; they had three children. They divorced after 38 years of marriage. In 1994, he remarried Carol Knight.

Armstrong remained without political affiliation, though he declared himself in favour of state rights, and against the US acting as the world’s policeman. He didn’t have a religious affiliation but described himself as a deist.

Many friends speak highly of Armstrong’s character saying he had a natural humility and was careful to avoid boosting of his unique role. John Glenn, the first American, to orbit the Earth said of Armstrong.

“He was a humble person, and that’s the way he remained after his lunar flight, as well as before.”

Armstrong died on 25 August 2012, aged 82 from coronary complications.

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “Biography of Neil Armstrong”, Oxford, UK.  www.biographyonline.net , 3rd February 2015. Last updated 6 November 2019.

Neil Armstrong – A Life of Flight

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