Astronaut Neil Armstrong: Rest In Peace

US astronaut Neil Armstrong, the first man on the Moon, has died at the age of 82. Armstrong was commander of the Apollo 11 space flight and on July 20, 1969, he made "one giant leap for mankind". That “one small step” on the moon immortalized him in the annals of space exploration. An estimated 600 million TV viewers watched the event.

Armstrong had undergone heart surgery Aug. 8, three days after his 82nd birthday. In their announcement, his family said that he had died from post-surgery complications.

Armstrong basically saw himself as an aviator first and foremost, part of the long tradition of American pilots going back to the Wright Brothers. The first words Armstrong intentionally spoke to Mission Control and the world from the lunar surface were, "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed." Armstrong was on the moon's surface for two hours and 32 minutes and Buzz Aldrin, who followed him, spent about 15 minutes less than that. These two astronauts set up an American flag, scooped up moon rocks and set up scientific experiments before returning to the main spacecraft and command module pilot Michael Collins. Armstrong's final task was to leave a small package of memorial items to deceased Soviet cosmonauts Yuri Gagarin and Vladimir Komarov, and Apollo 1 astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee.

 

The lunar landing made Armstrong more popular than his hero, aviator Charles Lindbergh, but Armstrong shunned the spotlight. After walking on the moon, he lived a mostly private life, buying a farm and teaching aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati until 1979.

 

Armstrong received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969, the highest award offered to a U.S. civilian.

 

"Neil was among the greatest of American heroes -- not just of his time, but of all time," said President Barack Obama. "When he and his fellow crew members lifted off aboard Apollo 11 in 1969, they carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation. They set out to show the world that the American spirit can see beyond what seems unimaginable -- that with enough drive and ingenuity, anything is possible."

 

 "For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request,'' his family said in a Saturday statement. "Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink."