By: Newsroom
8@klkntv.com
The first man to walk on the moon has died.
Former astronaut Neil Armstrong died today at the age of 82.
Armstrong was the commander of the Apollo 11 mission that landed on the moon and on July 20 1969 stepped on the moon with the words "that's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."
Armstrong underwent heart bypass surgery earlier this month.
On July 20, 1969 -- nearly a quarter of a million miles from the earth -- Neil Armstrong stepped into history.
An estimated one out of six people on earth were glued to their televisions, the largest audience up until that time, as Armstrong became the first person to set foot on the moon.
He and crew mate Buzz Aldrin spent two hours and 21 minutes walking, taking photographs, and raising the American flag.
Born in small-town Ohio, Armstrong became a navy pilot after college, flying dozens of combat missions during the Korean war.
Years as a test pilot followed, before NASA made him an astronaut in 1962.
Four years later, Armstrong commanded the Gemini 8 mission, performing the first successful docking of two vehicles in space.
His next, and last, mission was Apollo 11. His destination - the moon.
Armstrong and Aldrin touched down on the lunar surface with less than 30
seconds of fuel remaining.
When the mission was over, the crew was greeted by crowds across the world.
After leaving NASA in 1971, Armstrong worked in academia and corporate
America, but remained passionate about exploration.
Armstrong took us to those places, his spot in history cemented that summer night when anything seemed possible.
