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Neil Armstrong facts

Full name: Neil Alden Armstrong Date of birth: 5 August 1930 Hometown: Wapakoneta, Ohio, U.S.A. Occupation: Astronaut, military pilot, professor Died: 25 August 2012 Best known for: Being the first human to walk on the moon

1) Neil Armstrong was the first human to walk on the moon during the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Apollo 11 mission on 20th July 1969. He completed the mission alongside co-pilots Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins .

2) When Neil was a child growing up in rural America, he loved to learn all about aeroplanes and space . He got his student pilot’s licence when he was just 16 — before he even learned to drive a car!

3) When Neil was 17, he went to university to study aeronautical engineering — the science used in the designing, building and testing of aircrafts. Clever!

3) Around the world, more than half a billion people watched the Moon Landing. When Neil stepped foot on the moon for the first time, he said the now famous line, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

4) Neil walked a distance of about 60 metres on the surface of the moon —that’s roughly the length of 11 Asian elephants!

5) The rocket that launched Neil and his crew into space – the Saturn V rocket – was as tall as a 36-storey building! The Launch Control Center – which housed the team of people responsible for overseeing the launch from the ground – was situated 3.5 miles from the launch pad itself.

6) The Lunar Module that Neil and Buzz piloted together to land on the moon was called the Eagle . It’s where the now famous saying, “The Eagle has landed” , comes from!

7) Not only were Neil and Buzz the first humans to step foot on the moon, but they were also the first humans to view Earth from the moon’s surface. Neil said that while there, he could hold up his thumb and block out the Earth ! He said that the Moon felt lonely, but that it made him realise just how beautiful our home is.

8) When Neil and his co-pilot, Buzz, were on the moon, they collected dust materials from the moon’s surface to study back on Earth. In 2017, the samples were sold at auction for £1.4 million — wow !

9) Neil was considered a great American hero , but a reluctant hero, too. After the Apollo 11 Mission, Neil only stayed with NASA for a further two years. He found the press attention exhausting, and decided that he wanted to be a teacher of engineering in his home state of Ohio. He never returned to life in the spotlight.

10) Neil won many awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969, the Hubbard Medal in 1970, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 1978 and the General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award . Sadly, Neil died in 2012, but the progress that he made for space travel and our understanding of the Moon is still remembered today!

Image credits: GPA Photo Archive, U.S. Department of State (Public Domain).

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Neil Armstrong

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Why is Neil Armstrong famous?

Neil Armstrong is famous for being the first person to set foot on the Moon . He was a part of the Apollo 11 spaceflight alongside Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins . Apollo 11’s success in 1969 opened a new era of space exploration .

Neil Armstrong grew up in Wapakoneta, Ohio, as the eldest of three children. At age six he flew on an airplane for the first time, an experience that ignited in him a passion for aviation . He earned his pilot’s license on his 16th birthday and became a naval air cadet the following year.

How did Neil Armstrong get involved with NASA?

After earning a degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University in 1955, Neil Armstrong became a civilian research pilot for what would later become the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). He flew more than 2,450 hours before joining the space program in 1962.

On July 20, 1969, some 600 million television viewers watched the Apollo 11 Moon landing. Neil Armstrong stepped onto the lunar soil and said, “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.” He and crewmate Buzz Aldrin departed after over 21 hours of scientific tests and sample collection on the Moon.

After their successful Apollo 11 mission in 1969, Neil Armstrong and his crewmates toured over 20 countries to celebrate a new era of space exploration . Armstrong received the Presidential Medal of Freedom that year. He resigned from NASA in 1971 and immersed himself in various academic and professional pursuits for the rest of his life.

Recent News

Neil Armstrong (born August 5, 1930, Wapakoneta, Ohio , U.S.—died August 25, 2012, Cincinnati , Ohio) was a U.S. astronaut , and the first person to set foot on the Moon .

Neil Armstrong was the eldest of three children born to Viola Louise Engel and Stephen Koenig Armstrong, a state auditor. Neil’s passion for aviation and flight was kindled when he took his first airplane ride at age 6. He was active in the Boy Scouts of America and earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank attainable. He became a licensed pilot on his 16th birthday and a naval air cadet in 1947. His studies in aeronautical engineering at Purdue University in West Lafayette , Indiana , were interrupted in 1950 by his service in the Korean War , during which he was shot down once and was awarded three Air Medals. He completed his degree in 1955 and immediately became a civilian research pilot for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), later the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). He flew more than 1,100 hours, testing various supersonic fighters as well as the X-15 rocket plane.

In 1962 Armstrong joined the space program with its second group of astronauts. On March 16, 1966, Armstrong, as command pilot of Gemini 8 , and David R. Scott rendezvoused with an unmanned Agena rocket and completed the first manual space docking maneuver. After the docking, a rocket thruster malfunction sent the spacecraft into an uncontrolled spin and forced them to separate from the Agena. Armstrong then regained control of the Gemini craft and made an emergency splashdown in the Pacific Ocean .

On July 16, 1969, Armstrong, along with Edwin E. Aldrin, Jr. , and Michael Collins , blasted off in the Apollo 11 vehicle toward the Moon ( see Apollo program ). Four days later, at 4:17 pm U.S. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), the Eagle lunar landing module, guided manually by Armstrong, touched down on a plain near the southwestern edge of the Sea of Tranquility ( Mare Tranquillitatis ). At 10:56 pm EDT on July 20, 1969, Armstrong stepped from the Eagle onto the Moon’s dusty surface with the words, “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.” (In the excitement of the moment, Armstrong skipped the “a” in the statement that he had prepared.) Armstrong and Aldrin left the module for more than two hours and deployed scientific instruments, collected surface samples, and took numerous photographs.

On July 21, after 21 hours and 36 minutes on the Moon, they lifted off to rendezvous with Collins and begin the voyage back to Earth . After splashdown in the Pacific at 12:51 pm EDT on July 24, the three astronauts spent 18 days in quarantine to guard against possible contamination by lunar microbes. During the days that followed, and during a tour of 21 nations, they were hailed for their part in the opening of a new era in human exploration of the universe .

Between 1968 and 1972, 24 Apollo astronauts visited the Moon, and 12 of them walked on its surface. Scroll through the timeline of the Apollo missions that led the United States to land the first humans on the Moon, and see how Armstrong fits into this storied history.

Armstrong resigned from NASA in 1971. After Apollo 11 he shied away from being a public figure and confined himself to academic and professional endeavors. From 1971 to 1979 he was professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati (Ohio). After 1979 Armstrong served as chairman or director for a number of companies, among them Computing Technologies for Aviation from 1982 to 1992 and AIL Systems (later EDO Corporation), a maker of electronic equipment for the military, from 1977 until his retirement in 2002. He also served on the National Commission on Space (NCOS), a panel charged with setting goals for the space program, and on the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident, the group appointed in 1986 to analyze the safety failures in the Challenger disaster . He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 1978, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2009.

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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.

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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

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 Facts for Kids

• Name : Neil Armstrong
• Born : August 5th, 1930
• Died : August 25th, 2012
• Education : Purdue University, University of Southern California
• Space Agency : NASA
• Missions : Gemini 8 and Apollo 11

21 Neil Armstrong Facts for Kids

• Neil Armstrong was an American astronaut with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
• Neil Armstrong was 1 of 9 people selected to join NASA in the 1962 NASA Astronaut Group 2.
• Neil Armstrong was born on Tuesday, August 5th, 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio, USA.
• Neil Armstrong died of complications from a bypass surgery on August 25th, 2012 at the age of 82 in Ohio.
• Neil Armstrong was the son of Stephen Koenig Armstrong and Viola Louise.
• Neil Armstrong graduated from Purdue University in 1995 with a B.S. degree in Aeronautical Engineering.
• Neil Armstrong earned a M.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering in 1970 at the University of Southern California.
• Neil Armstrong was married twice, Janet Shearon between 1956 and 1994, and Carol Knight from 1994 up until his death in 2012.
• Neil Armstrong and Janet Shearon had three children together, two sons and one daughter.
• Neil Armstrong is best known for being the first person to walk on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission.
• One of the most famous quotes in history came from the Apollo 11 mission. When Neil Armstrong reached the moon’s surface, he said “That’s one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind.”
• Neil Armstrong was a part of two human spaceflight missions, Gemini 8 and Apollo 11.
• The Gemini 8 mission was the first time two spacecrafts docked in orbit. The mission was aborted due to the first major in-space system failure for the United States that threatened the lives of the crew.
• The Apollo 11 mission is arguably the most famous space mission in history. This mission was the first time that a human set foot on the moon.
• Neil Armstrong spent a total of 8 days, 14 hours, 12 minutes and 30 seconds in Space.
• Neil Armstrong completed 1 (Extravehicular activity) while in space and spent a total of 2 hours and 31 minutes during those EVAs.
• The highest rank achieved in the United States Navy by Neil Armstrong was Lieutenant (junior grade).
• Neil Armstrong taught at the University of Cincinnati in the Aerospace Engineering Department between 1971 and 1979.
• Neil Armstrong assisted the Rogers Commission, which was used to investigate the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.
• In 1985, Neil Armstrong visited the North Pole during an expedition lead by Mike Dunn.
• Asteroid 1983 was renamed 6469 Armstrong on the 30th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission.

Neil Armstrong Pictures

Additional Resources to Research Neil Armstrong

• Biography of Neil Armstrong – A wonderful biography of Neil Armstrong and his life.
• Who was Neil Armstrong? – Discover who Neil Armstrong was and what he did in space on the NASA website.
• Neil Armstrong – Britannica – Learn more about Neil Armstrong and his achievements on the Britannica website.

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Neil Armstrong Facts For Kids – The First Man on Moon

You might want to know these amazing Neil Armstrong facts for kids that includes his personal achievements, awards, initial career, and his remarks after coming from a historic journey.

Neil Armstrong was the first man to set foot on moon. It was the historical day of July 20, 1969 when Neil stepped out of the lunar module and walked on the moon and marked his words in the history of mankind, “One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for Mankind.” He was only 38 at that time.

Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930 in Wapakonita, Ohio. It was the result of several years of persistent efforts that continued in good times and bad times, or may be the outcome of a bitter competition from the feared rivals. It had to happen that day.

Neil Armstrong Facts For Kids

Armstrong was always willing to fly as high as one could dream of. Finally his dream came true when, after completing his degree from Purdue, he decided to join the then National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) which later became National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Eventually, he lived up to his inspiration but the journey did not stop.

Prominent among his achievements were those of initial flight hours which he had experienced while conducting 50 types of aircrafts. Armstrong while logging 2,450 hours also attained a speed of Mach 5.74 (4,000 mph) together with an altitude measuring at 63,198 meters (207,500 ft). He flew in the X-15 aircraft.

Technically, Armstrong was an engineer and he had a craze to become a pilot. Many non-engineering pilots condemned his flying technique by marking that Armstrong’s flying technique was too technical to do the job.

Some of his critics were Pete Knight and Chuck Yeager. They believed that flying is not all about moving sound in a mechanical manner rather it’s what you feel. One could hardly get this feeling while an engineer is flying.

It goes without saying that Armstrong was no less competent as compared to other non-engineer pilots but he was also involved in few ariel accidents.

Armstrong began studying aeronautical engineering in 1947 Purdue University while he was on Navy scholarship.

In 1963, Armstrong was the first American civilian to fly in space. Earlier in 1957, he was picked for the MISS (Man In Space Soonest) mission.

On March 16 1966, Armstrong was sent on Gemini 8 mission. In the mission, Neil served as a Command Pilot and the crew was supposed to finish the first ever docking with the other unmanned Agena spacecraft. However, they couldn’t complete the ‘extra-vernacular activity’ even though they managed to dock with the craft after 6.5 hours. This had never taken place in the history before that the two vehicles successfully docked in space.

Armstrong was also deemed to be the only person to communicate directly with the astronauts on mission. He served as a CAPCOM for Gemini 11.

He served as the commander of the back-up crew of the Apollo program (Apollo 8).

Neil Armstrong was never going to set a first foot on the moon in fact one of his colleagues Buzz Aldrin was deemed to do this job in the start. However, the positions of astronauts in the module became complicated and Aldrin could only reach the hatch by crawling over Armstrong. So the plan was changed and finally it was decided that Armstrong would be the one to step out of module (upon landing) and make history.

People gave three astronauts a warm welcome when they returned to earth on July 24, 1969. Crowds all over the streets of New York were anxiously waiting to see this historic moment of their famous heroes. Consequently, Armstrong won many awards such as the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and a Medal of Freedom.

Armstrong underwent severe blocked coronary arteries as a result of which he had to go through bypass surgery on August 7, 2012. However he couldn’t held any longer and he passed away on August 25, 2012 in Ohio when the surgery caused several complications. On the eve of his death, White House pronounced Armstrong as ‘one of the greatest American heroes of all time’.

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Neil Armstrong Facts

He changed history with his determination and courage, and he left a legacy as a humble pioneer who explored the unknown for all of humanity.

Neil Armstrong has inspired generations of people to think beyond boundaries, follow their dreams, and never give up in pursuit of what is just out of reach.

Neil Armstrong’s legacy lives on as an icon of bravery in exploration, leadership, and innovation.

Neil Armstrong Facts for Kids

Personal life.

From an early age, Neil Armstrong had a passion for flying. His dad took him to the Cleveland Air Races when he was just two, and they flew on a Ford Trimotor at five years old.

Occupational Journey

Armstrong’s first voyage into space came on March 16, 1966, in Gemini 8. His skill shone when he docked it with an Agena target craft perfectly; however, the two crafts started to roll and pitch whilst orbiting.

He had to use retro rockets to undock them, then make a sudden emergency landing in the Pacific Ocean.

As Deputy Chief of the presidential commission, Armstrong effectively led the investigation into the 1986 Challenger explosion.

The Reason Neil Armstrong Became An Astronaut

Exploration was in Neil’s space. He craved the unknown and loved adventure. He wanted to touch the stars, to reach the unreachable.

Since a young age, he had felt the pull of flight, and the realization that one could soar through the sky was mesmerizing. And when Neil learned about astronomy, it completely captivated him.

Neil Armstrong Space Missions

The inability of one spacecraft’s key systems led to this forced emergency landing, but without that difficulty, humanity would have been no closer to unlocking the secrets of space exploration.

The successful return of those brave souls showed what teamwork could do and sparked others to continue advancing space technology in the hopes that one day our species could explore further than ever before.

It was a pioneering mission that pushed past limits and opened up new doorways – letting us explore uncharted territories both literally and figuratively. A milestone journey that asks us to question our beliefs in what we thought impossible – leaving footprints that will live on long after our time has come and gone.

Neil Armstrong Facts For Kids – Neil Armstrong Biography – All About Neil Armstrong

Neil Armstrong is an important person in the history of mankind being “The first man on the moon” . We have gathered a complete set of Neil Armstrong Facts For Kids that will help you in learning all about Neil Armstrong . You are going to get all the Neil Armstrong information you need on this page. You are going to learn who he was, his full name, nationality, height, childhood, education, where he lived, his school, college, career, space missions, religion, family, his spacecraft, landing on the moon, his walk on the moon, his speech, death, contributions, achievements and many other interesting facts about Neil Armstrong . This Neil Armstrong biography is best for school kids.

Neil Armstrong Facts For Kids

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Stephen Koenig Armstrong was the father of Neil Armstrong who was born in 1907 and had the job of an auditor for the government of the U.S state of Ohio.

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

55. Fun Facts About Neil Armstrong

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Facts about Neil Armstrong

On July 20, 1969, as the commander of the Apollo 11 mission, American astronaut and aeronautical engineer Neil Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon.

Born in Wapakoneta, Ohio in 1930, Armstrong developed a fascination with flying at an early age and went on to earn a degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University. Before enrolling in the NASA astronaut program in 1962, he started his career as a test pilot.

Armstrong continued to work for NASA despite his historic moon landing and later accepted a position as a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati.

Tragically, he passed away in 2012 at the age of 82. Armstrong is remembered as a pioneer in space exploration and a hero to many around the world.

Who is Neil Armstrong?

American astronaut and aeronautical engineer Neil Armstrong rose to renown around the world as the first person to set foot on the moon.

Born in Ohio in 1930, Armstrong developed a keen interest in flying at a young age and pursued a degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University. He was a Navy pilot who then transitioned into the test pilot profession before enrolling in NASA’s astronaut program in 1962.

As the first person to set foot on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission, Armstrong made history by uttering the famous phrase “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” He maintained a job as a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati in addition to his services at NASA.

Armstrong passed away in 2012, but his legacy as a pioneering astronaut and symbol of human achievement continue to inspire people around the world.

Fun facts about Neil Armstrong

1. A Young Aviation Enthusiast: 

Neil Armstrong developed a fascination for flying at a young age. He took his first flight at the age of six, and by the time he was 14 years old—even before he had a driver’s license—he had earned his pilot’s license.

2. A Distinguished Military Career: 

Armstrong served in the United States Navy during the Korean War. In recognition of his service, he received three Air Medals and flew 78 combat missions.

3. Test Pilot Extraordinaire: 

Before becoming an astronaut, Armstrong worked as a test pilot for NASA’s predecessor agency, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), and flew over 900 different aircraft models.

4. Scouting Spirit: 

Armstrong was a Boy Scouts of America member who achieved the highest rank possible, Eagle Scout.

5. The First Bachelor on the Moon: 

Armstrong was the first astronaut to get married after walking on the moon.

He married his second wife, Carol Held Knight, in 1999, over 30 years after his historic moon landing.

6. The First Person to Shake the President’s Hand in Space: 

During his Gemini 8 mission in 1966, Armstrong became the first person to shake hands with a U.S. president while in space. President Lyndon B. Johnson called Armstrong and co-pilot David Scott to congratulate them on their successful mission.

7. A Man of Many Talents: 

In addition to his skills as a pilot and astronaut, Armstrong was also an accomplished musician.

He played the baritone horn in his high school band and later learned to play the piano.

8. The Inspiration for a Comic Book: 

Armstrong’s historic moon landing inspired a comic book called “Neil Armstrong: The First Man on the Moon,” which was published in 1969.

9. The Smithsonian’s “Lunar Sample Return Bag”: 

Armstrong used a “Lunar Sample Return Bag” during the Apollo 11 mission to collect and store moon rocks.

The bag was later mistakenly labeled as a “junk” bag and nearly thrown away before being rediscovered and sold at an auction in 2017.

10. A Fan of the Wright Brothers: 

Armstrong was a lifelong admirer of the Wright Brothers and carried a piece of their airplane with him to the moon.

11. A Private Man: 

Despite his fame, Armstrong was a private person and shunned the public spotlight. He rarely gave interviews and preferred to stay out of the public eye.

12. A Man of Few Words: 

Armstrong was famously quiet and reserved. He is remembered for his concise communication style, which was crucial during the high-pressure moments of his historic moon landing.

13. A Modest Hero: 

Armstrong was known for his humility and often deflected praise for his achievements.

He once said, “I am, and ever will be, a white-socks, pocket-protector, nerdy engineer, born under the second law of thermodynamics, steeped in the steam tables, in love with free-body diagrams, transformed by Laplace, and propelled by compressible flow.”

14. A Champion for Education: 

Armstrong joined the University of Cincinnati as an aerospace engineering professor after leaving NASA.

He also served on the board of trustees for the Children’s Hospital of Cincinnati and worked to promote science education for young people.

15. The Recipient of Many Honors: 

Over his life, Armstrong was given a great deal of recognition, including the Langley Gold Medal from the Smithsonian Institution, the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

At the Kennedy Space Center, NASA renamed the iconic Operations and Checkout Building in 2019 in Armstrong’s honor.

Neil Armstrong’s legacy as a pioneering astronaut, skilled pilot, and humble hero continues to inspire people around the world.

His historic moon landing in 1969 was a defining moment in human history, and his legacy as the first person to set foot on the moon will always be remembered.

Beyond his achievements in space, Armstrong’s dedication to education and service to his community also made a lasting impact. He was a man of many talents and interests but always remained true to his roots as an Ohio -born aviation enthusiast.

Future generations will always look at Neil Armstrong as an example of human achievement and as an inspiration.

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Neil Armstrong: 5 Things You Might Not Know About the First Moonwalker

By patrick kiger , august 25, 2012 05:54 pm.

If you were around on July 20, 1969, you probably spent that evening as an estimated 500 million others around the world did, eyes glued to our TV screens as we watched astronaut Neil Armstrong climb down from the Apollo 11 lunar module and take the first steps by a human on the surface of the Moon. And decades later, the words we heard Armstrong utter at that history-making moment - "It's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind" - still probably send chills down your spine.

Even so, it's odd to think that although we all remember Armstrong, who died today at age 82  in Ohio, we never really knew much about the man who embodied our collective dream of visiting the cosmos. The astronaut seemed to have little interest in his global notoriety, and for decades he fastidiously kept a low profile. After his historic feat, he worked briefly as a NASA administrator, quietly taught aeronautical engineering for a decade at the University of Cincinnati, and then worked for another decade as the chairman of a Virginia-based company that developed aviation software. His lone recent return to the spotlight was a 2010 appearance before Congress , when he protested cuts in the space program.

• Armstrong got his first real glimpse of the Moon as a Boy Scout. As a teenage scout in his hometown of Wapakoneta, Ohio, Armstrong and fellow scouts went to the home of a local engineering draftsman who had installed an eight-inch reflecting telescope, mounted on roller-skate wheels, on the roof of his garage. The amateur astronomer later boasted to newspapers that Armstrong had been so fascinated by what he saw that evening that he had returned numerous times afterward. That actually wasn't true, according to the astronaut's authorized biography , but Armstrong never corrected the story, apparently because he didn't want to embarrass someone from his hometown who'd merely tried to lay claim to a tiny bit of his fame.
• Armstrong had musical chops . In high school, he took up an unusual brass instrument, the baritone horn (a sort of a cross between the trumpet and trombone), because he liked the instrument's distinctive tone. In addition to the school orchestra, he also was in a combo, the Mississippi Moonshiners, which performed Spike Jones tunes at union-hall dances for $5, split four ways. "Neil was a very good musician," one of the other members of the band later told Armstrong's official biographer, James Hanson. "He had a strong after-beat, and he kept us going."
• Armstrong almost didn't make it to the Moon . After accomplishing the first successful docking of two spacecraft in orbit in March 1966, Armstrong's Gemini space capsule began to seriously malfunction, and he and colleague David Scott were ordered to cut short the mission and  come home. According to an Associated Press account , they endured some "desperate, fearful moments" before finally splashing down and being rescued by divers.
• Armstrong's famous statement on the Moon actually was different from what we all think we heard.   What he actually said was "One small step for a man," which makes a lot more sense logically. In 2006, an Australian researcher analyzed the recording of Armstrong's transmission and discovered that due to limitations of communication technology at the time, a few milliseconds of what the astronaut said had been dropped.
• Spiritually, Armstrong had something in common with Thomas Jefferson. Armstrong marked "no religious preference" on his NASA application, which later led famous American atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair to claim that he shared her views. According to Hansen's book, however, Armstrong actually considered himself a deist , a person whose faith in God is based on reason rather than religious revelation or the teachings of a particular church.

  - Patrick J. Kiger

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Louis Armstrong

• Occupation: Musician
• Born: August 4, 1901 in New Orleans, Louisiana
• Died: July 6, 1971 in New York City
• Best known for: One of the most influential figures in the history of jazz music
• Nicknames: Satchmo, Pops, Dippermouth
• Eleven of his recordings have been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.
• He often wore a Star of David in honor of the Karnofsky family, a Jewish family that took Louis in as a child.
• The main airport in New Orleans is called the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
• He had nineteen Top Ten songs including a number 1 hit, Hello Dolly! , at the age of 63.
• He was married four times, but didn't have any children.
• Listen to a recorded reading of this page: