Neil Armstrong and the Apollo 11 Moon Landing
In 1969, humanity stood on the cusp of a historic achievement – sending humans to the moon. The Apollo 11 mission, led by NASA, aimed to land astronauts on the lunar surface and return them safely to Earth. Among the remarkable individuals who played an instrumental role in this groundbreaking event, Neil Armstrong emerged as the face of a generation, etching his name in the history books – and on his very own HISTORY HEROES card!
Neil Armstrong: destined for space
Born in 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio, Armstrong’s passion for flight propelled him through a career in space. In 1936, when he was 6 years old, Armstrong flew in an aeroplane for the first time; a journey that ignited his love for aviation. By the time he was 17 years old, he became a naval air cadet.
Armstrong joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in 1955. Over the next couple of decades, he served as an astronaut, engineer, test pilot and administrator for NACA, which later became the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
In 1966, Armstrong made his first spaceflight as command pilot of Gemini 8, becoming NASA’s first ever civilian astronaut to fly in space.
Apollo 11: One small step for man…
Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy on July 16, 1969. Four days later, as the world held its breath, Armstrong, alongside his fellow astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, took the first human steps on the moon.
An estimated 650 million people watched as Armstrong exited the Eagle and stepped onto the moon’s surface. This hugely significant moment in SPACE history also marked an important victory for the United States in the Space Race – a key part of the Cold War.
While the primary aim of the mission was to successfully land a crew on the moon and return safely to earth, there were also additional objectives which centred on scientific exploration. Have you checked out our SCIENTISTS pack? Neil Armstrong spent nearly 3 hours on the Moon, collecting samples and taking photographs.
A day later, the crew began their voyage back to Earth, splashing down into the Pacific Ocean. Shortly after the voyage in a press conference, Armstrong referred to the flight as the “beginning of a new age”.
But did you know this fun fact about Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit? The spacesuit that protected Armstrong during his lunar exploration was crafted by none other than a bra manufacturer!
We leave you with this: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
Learn more about all things SPACE with our fantastic card game!