Neil Armstrong

Neil Armstrong went to the moon

Do you know what the moon looks like up close? Neil Armstrong does, he was the first man ever to set foot on the moon. Even though he is famous, Neil Armstrong is person just like you and me, even though he was a man who went to the moon.

Armstrong on moon

"Neil Alden Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio. He holds a degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University and a master’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California. From 1949 to 1952, Armstrong was a naval aviator. Upon leaving military service, he became a test pilot. While serving as a test pilot, he was chosen to be a member of the astronaut corps. Though he was on the backup crew of many previous flights, his first space flight occurred in 1966 aboard Gemini 8. During this flight, he and fellow astronaut David Scott successfully performed the first docking in space between two vehicles. In July of 1969, Neil Armstrong was the commander of Apollo 11, America's first attempt to land a manned vehicle on the Moon. On July 20, 1969 Commander Armstrong and fellow astronaut Edwin Aldrin successfully touched down on the lunar surface. As Armstrong became the first person to touch the Moon's surface, he spoke the unforgettable phrase, "That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind". He and Aldrin explored the Moon's surface for 2.5 hours. Armstrong was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of his accomplishments and his contributions to the space program. He is married and has two children. Neil now lives quietly in Ohio." ~ from Starchild

Neil Armstrong was an extremely persistent person. He has flown over 200 different models of aircraft, including jets, rockets, helicopters and gliders. By studying the life of Armstrong, he has taught me that I too can reach my dream if I work hard enough. The quality I most admire about him is that he chased his dream, even though he was taking a big risk by flying to the moon.

Neil Armstrong was a kind, and caring man who had a big dream and chased it. I hope to follow in his footsteps one day and become an astronaut too. He has taught me that anyone can achieve their dream if they stay focused and work hard enough. That is why Neil Armstrong is my hero.