Personal Information
    Neil Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, on August 4, 1930. He was the first man on the moon.  He became a very popular man and was famous for his quote, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Education
     Neil Armstrong attended Purdue University where he received his Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Engineering.  Next, he attended University of Southern California.  He received a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering.

Experience
    From 1949 to 1952, Neil Armstrong was a naval aviator.  He flew 78 combat missions when he was fighting in the Korean War.

     During 1971 and 1979, Armstrong was a professor of aerospace engineering at The University of Cincinnati.  He was involved in both teaching and research.

     In 1962, Armstrong became an astronaut. He served as command pilot for Gemini 8 mission that was launched on March 16,1966.  During that mission, he was involved in successfully docking two vehicles in space.     

    In1969, Armstrong was commander of Apollo 11.  Apollo 11 was the first manned lunar landing mission.  Neil Armstrong became the first man to land a craft on the Moon, and he became the first man to step on its surface.

    In 1971, Armstrong left the NASA program.  In 1984 President Ronald Reagan selected Armstrong to the National Commission on Space.  This group worked on developing goals for the civilian Space Program into the 21-century. In  1986 President Reagan named him vice chairman of Rogers Commission, which investigated the space shuttle Challenger disaster.

Honors

• Presidential Medal for Freedom in 1969

• The Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy in 1970
   
• The Robert J. Collier Trophy in 1969
   
• Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 1978.