#NeilAldenArmstrong was an #Americanastronaut and aeronautical engineer who was the first person to walk on the #Moon. He was also a naval aviator, test pilot, and university professor. Armstrong joined the #NASA #AstronautCorps in the second group, which was selected in 1962. He made his first spaceflight as commander of #Gemini8 in March 1966, becoming NASA's first civilian astronaut to fly in space. During this mission with pilot David Scott, he performed the first docking of two spacecraft; the mission was aborted after #Armstrong used some of his reentry control fuel to prevent a dangerous spin caused by a stuck thruster. During training for Armstrong's second and last spaceflight as commander of #Apollo11 , he had to eject from the #LunarLandingResearchVehicle moments before a fiery crash. In July 1969, Armstrong and Apollo 11 Lunar Module pilot #BuzzAldrin performed the first manned Moon landing, and spent two and a half hours outside the spacecraft while #MichaelCollins remained in lunar orbit in the Command/Service Module. When Armstrong stepped onto the lunar surface, he famously said: "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind." Along with Collins and Aldrin, Armstrong was awarded the #PresidentialMedalofFreedom by President #RichardNixon . President #JimmyCarter presented Armstrong with the #CongressionalSpaceMedalofHonor in 1978, and Armstrong and his former crewmates received a Congressional Gold Medal in 2009.
