National Aeronautics and Space Administration
John H. Glenn Research Center
Lewis Field
Cleveland, Ohio 44135
Neil A. Armstrong
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Neil A. Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, was born in
Wapakoneta, Ohio, on August 5, 1930. He began his NASA career in Ohio.
After serving as a naval aviator from 1949 to 1952, Armstrong joined the
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in 1955. His first
assignment was with the NACA Lewis Research Center (now NASA Glenn) in
Cleveland. Over the next 17 years, he was an engineer, test pilot,
astronaut and administrator for NACA and its successor agency, the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
As a research pilot at NASA's Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif.,
he was a project pilot on many pioneering high speed aircraft, including
the well known, 4000-mph X-15. He has flown over 200 different models
of aircraft, including jets, rockets, helicopters and gliders.
Armstrong transferred to astronaut status in 1962. He was assigned as
command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission. Gemini 8 was launched on March
16, 1966, and Armstrong performed the first successful docking of two
vehicles in space.
As spacecraft commander for Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing
mission, Armstrong gained the distinction of being the first man to land
a craft on the moon and first to step on its surface.
Armstrong subsequently held the position of Deputy Associate
Administrator for Aeronautics, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. In
this position, he was responsible for the coordination and management of
overall NASA research and technology work related to aeronautics.
He was Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of
Cincinnati between 1971-1979. During the years 1982-1992, Armstrong was
chairman of Computing Technologies for Aviation, Inc., Charlottesville,
Va.
He received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aeronautical Engineering
from Purdue University and a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering
from the University of Southern California. He holds honorary doctorates
from a number of universities.
Armstrong was a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and
the Royal Aeronautical Society; Honorary Fellow of the American
Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the International
Astronautics Federation.
He was a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the Academy
of the Kingdom of Morocco. He served as a member of the National
Commission on Space (1985-1986), as Vice-Chairman of the Presidential
Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident (1986), and as
Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Peace Corps
(1971-1973).
Armstrong was decorated by 17 countries. He was the recipient of many
special honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom; the
Congressional Gold Medal; the Congressional Space Medal of Honor; the
Explorers Club Medal; the Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy; the NASA
Distinguished Service Medal; the Harmon International Aviation Trophy;
the Royal Geographic Society's Gold Medal; the Federation Aeronautique
Internationale's Gold Space Medal; the American Astronautical Society
Flight Achievement Award; the Robert J. Collier Trophy; the AIAA
Astronautics Award; the Octave Chanute Award; and the John J. Montgomery
Award.
Armstrong passed away on Aug. 25, 2012 following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures. He was 82.
August 2012
