Neil Armstrong

"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" (Armstrong qtd Aphelis). The mindset of always venturing toward challenges pushed Armstrong to become the first to land on the moon. Neil Armstrong, born in Wapakoneta, Ohio in 1930 and died in Cincinnati, Ohio in 2012, due to complications from cardiovascular procedures, traveled with Edwin Buzz Aldrin to the moon. As a child, he was always interested in flight. Armstrong rode on a Ford Trimotor (Tin Goose) airplane, when he was six, and his interest grew subsequently. With a more profound curiosity, he crafted airplanes and tested them with his own handmade wind tunnel. Later on, Armstrong became the first man to step onto the moon's surface. In doing so earned him an abundance of honorary mentions, such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Harmon International Aviation Trophy. After his famous journey to the moon, Armstrong served in many businesses, including United Airlines, Marathon Oil, and other American companies as part of the board of directors, and NASA's Office of Advanced Research and Technology, where he became the deputy associate administrator for aeronautics. A hero must possess determination, humility, and courage. He must be capable of focusing under pressure, remaining humble about his elevated position, and displaying a sign of courage, such as taking on a challenge that no one has ever gotten past before. Neil Armstrong's tireless determination, persistent humility, and unfailing courage are qualities that make him a true hero and inspiration.

Armstrong rejected chances of becoming more famous and instead stayed humble. He did not only count landing on the lunar planet to be an achievement for his country, but an accomplishment for everyone on Earth. As Armstrong took his first steps on the moon, he did not see himself only representing his country, but representing all of Earth: "After stepping onto the Moon for the first time, Neil Armstrong's words were those of a human, not an American. A metal plaque left behind to commemorate the landing expressed the idea even more clearly. 'Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the moon. We came in peace, for all mankind'" (Gale). While being on the moon, Armstrong did not give himself or his country all the credit for landing on the moon. He was proud of being a part of mankind. Armstrong included everyone to be part of this huge accomplishment, meaning he attributed his success on reaching the moon to all the people who cheered him on and to his fellow astronauts who died during duty. Unlike most famous astronauts, Armstrong did not see it right to beg for attention from the public: "A quiet and private man, Armstrong and his family have successfully avoided the limelight that usually accompanies fame and fortune" (Gale). Through his "avoiding the limelight," he did not want people to think he was extraordinary, rather he wanted them to feel like any normal person could reach his/her dreams. Furthermore, even when he got the opportunity to become even more famous, he did not choose to dominate over others. Though he was the first astronaut to land on the moon and represent his country, Armstrong gave glory to everyone on Earth for this accomplishment, not just America, by placing the metal plaque; as he gained fame, Armstrong did not want to be in the spotlight, showing that he did not see himself any different from everyone else.

Ignoring the thoughts of perilous terrains ahead, Armstrong kept his concentration on reaching the moon, determined to be the first to step onto the moon. Through diligence, he is focused and determined to scavenge the lunar planet, in order to bring valuable rocks and soil samples back to his country. As Neil Armstrong arrived at the moon, he faced a time limit to land the lunar module in a secure area: "When the planned landing site on the Moon turned out to be strewn with large boulders, Armstrong coolly overrode onboard computers and manually guided the lunar module Eagle to a safer place. He landed it so gently that its shock absorbers barely compressed, with only seconds of fuel to spare" (Gale). Armstrong's concentration was resolute, which allowed him to land the Eagle almost without using shock absorbers, and is an example of his determination. Navigating with only a few seconds of fuel, Armstrong felt no rush and was determined to land on the lunar planet. When trouble arose, Neil Armstrong did not panic and did not rely on autopilot to do all the work. Despite the unpredictable nature of his journey to the moon, Neil Armstrong calmly turned off all computers and focused on flying the craft, by himself, through treacherous terrains. This act demonstrated his bravery and determination. As Armstrong enjoyed walking on the moon, he did not lose focus towards accomplishing his post-land goals: "Armstrong was first to set foot on lunar soil, followed by Aldrin. There they planted the American flag, had a telephone conversation with President Richard Nixon, set up science experiments, and collected rocks and soil samples. They left behind a plaque that read: 'Here men from the planet Earth first set foot upon the Moon, July 1969 A.D. We came in peace for all mankind'" (Gale). Rather than being too overwhelmed at being on the moon, Armstrong and his partner Aldrin were determined to mark their country's achievement by planting the American flag, displaying pride in their country. In addition, Armstrong did not let excitement overtake him. Instead, it motivated him to evaluate the moon thoroughly and bring back some valuable items like rocks and soil samples from the moon. Through Armstrong navigating around a foreign planet without the help of computers, he revealed his persistence towards difficult circumstances and through carefully evaluating the moon, Armstrong's determination helped provide samples that contributed to science.

The thought of death did not daunt Armstrong at all. With an optimistic standpoint, he was courageous in taking the position as commander of Apollo 11 after going through tragic accidents, like the Gemini 8 mission. Armstrong's first space flight ended terribly and was aborted: "He made his first space flight on March 16, 1966 as commander of the Gemini 8 mission...Half an hour after the link-up the two vessels started spinning out of control. Armstrong thought that it was the Agena that was causing the problem and disengaged. In fact, one of the thrusters on his own spacecraft was malfunctioning, and he had to end the mission...Armstrong was named commander of the Apollo 11 mission" (Gale). Armstrong took his role as commander even when he has seen how easily something tiny can erase your chances of succeeding. Neil Armstrong was still willing to put his life on the line for his country, even after experiencing a malfunction during flight. Though there were countless close encounters with death, Armstrong continued to achieve his dream: "His numerous brushes with death did not make him afraid of further travel in space. He once said, 'I have been in relatively high-risk businesses all of my adult life.... I have confidence in the equipment, the planning, the training'" (Gale). Armstrong was faced with situations that would bring people scared to death, such as the malfunction of Gemini 8, but he does not worry. Instead, he used his past to build up confidence. Neil Armstrong is courageous for striving towards the moon no matter what after he has encountered so many close calls with death. As unpredictable challenges come and go, Armstrong withstood every one of them through his diligence and courage.

Through his determination, humility, and courage, Armstrong is undoubtedly a diligent hero and inspiration. Armstrong demonstrates determination by focusing under pressure and carrying out his task on the moon thoroughly. For instance, he navigated through rough terrains with only a small amount of fuel remaining. In addition, without feeling too overwhelmed, he gathered samples and planted an American Flag for his country. Armstrong displays humility from his metal plaque which attributes his success on reaching the moon with his fellow astronauts, both American and Russian. Finally, he is made of courage. Armstrong shows bravery by taking on the role of the commander in the Apollo 11 mission after he has been through many incidents, including the Gemini 8 malfunction. Neil Armstrong inspires us by showing the world that with determination and diligence, anything, even the impossible, such as reaching the moon, can be accomplished. Armstrong is my hero because he emulated unwavering bravery and solid determination which has helped him inspire more people to persevere toward their dreams and hopes; he will forever remain a legacy for obtaining the impossible: reaching the moon.

Works Cited

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"Neil Armstrong." Contemporary Heroes and Heroines. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale, 1990. Biography in Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2014.

"Neil Armstrong." Newsmakers. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Biography in Context. Web. 4 Apr. 2014.

"Neil Armstrong." Notable Scientists from 1900 to the Present. Ed. Brigham Narins. Detroit: Gale Group, 2008. Biography in Context. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.

"The 1969 Moon Landing: First Humans to Walk on Another World." Science and Its Times. Ed. Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer. Vol. 7. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Student Resources in Context. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.

Theophanidis, Philippe. "American NASA Astronaut Neil Armstrong Dies (1930- 2012)."APHELIS. N.p., 25 Aug. 2012. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. .

Van Riper, A. Bowdoin. "Neil Alden Armstrong." Science and Its Times. Ed. Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer. Vol. 7: 1950 to Present. Detroit: Gale, 2001. 46-47. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 21 Mar. 2014.