Neil Armstrong, the astronaut who marked an epochal achievement in exploration with “one small step” from the Apollo 11 lunar module on July 20, 1969, becoming the first person to walk on the moon, has died at 82.
The family announced the death in a statement Saturday but did not disclose when or where he died. They attributed it to “complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures.”
By coincidence, I am halfway though reading "The Right Stuff", which tells the tale of the Mercury program (which led directly to Gemini and then Apollo). Neil's achievement was the act which ultimately restored the American space program's confidence - the Soviets had beaten the USA in the space race at almost every turn until then, but Apollo was finally something they could not match. In a way, it's too bad the Soviets didn't pursue their own manned Moon missions - we almost certainly would have had men on Mars by now, if the competitive pressure from the USSR had been maintained.
He will never be forgotten. That much is certain. I can't imagine what he felt as his boots touched the lunar surface. What a singular experience. I get so excited when a rover touches down on Mars. I can't imagine watching a person step onto another planet.