FIRST MAN ON THE MOON

On July 20, 1969, American astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped off the module Eagle and became the first man to walk on the moon. Armstrong spoke these words to more than a billion people listening at home: ‘That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind’.

Armstrong was born in 1930 in Ohio. He began flying 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 US Navy scholarship.

Armstrong’s studies, however, were interrupted in 1949 when he was called to serve in the Korean War. He left the military in 1952 and returned to college. A few years later, he joined the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). He held many different positions in the agency, including test pilot and engineer. He tested many high-speed aircraft, including the X-15, which could reach a top speed of more than 7000 kilometres per hour.

In 1969, along with Michael Collins and Edwin E. ‘Buzz’ Aldrin, Armstrong was part of NASA’s first manned mission to the moon, Apollo 11. The three men were sent into space on July 16, 1969. At 10:56 PM, Armstrong stepped off the Lunar Module, Eagle, and for about two and a half hours, Armstrong and Aldrin collected samples and conducted experiments. They also took photographs, including some of their own footprints. They came back on July 24, 1969, and the crew stayed in quarantine for three weeks.

Armstrong received numerous awards for his efforts, including the Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Space Medal of Honour.