Neil Alden Armstrong (August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012) was an American astronaut, aeronautical engineer, naval aviator, test pilot, and university professor. He is best known for being the first person to walk on the Moon during NASA's Apollo 11 mission on July 20, 1969
. Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, and developed an early passion for aviation, earning his student pilot's license at age 16. He studied aeronautical engineering at Purdue University under the Holloway Plan, which included military service. He served as a naval aviator during the Korean War, flying 78 combat missions
. After the war, Armstrong became a test pilot and flew many experimental aircraft, including the X-15 rocket plane. He joined NASA's astronaut program in 1962 and flew as command pilot on Gemini 8 in 1966, performing the first successful docking of two spacecraft. He commanded Apollo 11, becoming the first human to step onto the lunar surface, famously saying, "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind"
. Armstrong retired from NASA in 1971 and later worked as a professor and in various aerospace roles. He passed away in 2012 after heart surgery
