(b.August 5, 1930), a U.S. astronaut, was the first man to walk on the moon. He worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), 1955–71; Commander of the Apollo 11 Spacecraft, 1969; flew the Gemini 7 Spacecraft, 1966; became an astronaut in 1962; and was a U.S. Navy pilot during the Korean War.
On July 20, 1969, Commander Neil Alden Armstrong, along with Col. Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr., landed their lunar module, nicknamed the “Eagle,” on the moon. They spent a total of 21 hours and 37 minutes on the surface, before launching the lunar module back into orbit to dock with the command ship “Columbia,” piloted by Lieut. Col. Michael Collins. Commander Neil A. Armstrong’s first words as he step on the moon were:
That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.3865
On September 16, 1969, in addressing a joint session of Congress, Commander Neil A. Armstrong stated:
To those of you who have advocated looking high we owe our sincere gratitude, for you have granted us the opportunity to see some of the grandest views of the Creator.3866