NEIL A. ARMSTRONG, NASA

Neil Armstrong flew the X-15 for 20 months from 30 November 1960 until 26 July 1962, making seven flights. These included two flights with the XLR11 and five with the XLR99. Armstrong reached Mach 5.74, a maximum speed of 3,989 mph, and an altitude of 207,500 feet. His accomplishments include making the first flight with the ball nose and the first flight with the MH-96 adaptive control system.

Neil Alden Armstrong was born on 5 August 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio. He attended Purdue University, earning his bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering in 1955. During Korea, which interrupted his engineering studies, Armstrong flew 78 combat missions in F9F-2 fighters, for which he earned the Air Medal and two Gold Stars. He later earned a master of science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California.

Armstrong joined the NACA Flight Propulsion Research Laboratory (now the Lewis Research Center) in 1955. Later that year he transferred to the High-Speed Flight Station (HSFS) as an aeronautical research scientist and then as a pilot. Armstrong served as the project pilot on the F – 100A, F-100C, F-101, and F-104A, and flew the X-1B, X-5, F-105, F-106, B-47, KC-135, and Paresev. He left with over 2,450 flying hours.

102A and F5D aircraft. In 1962, when he was flying the X-15, Armstrong was one of nine pilots selected for the second NASA astronaut class. In March 1966 he was the commander of Gemini 8, with David Scott as pilot (this mission accomplished the first successful docking of two vehicles in orbit). On 20 July 1969, during the Apollo 11 mission, Armstrong became the first human to land on the Moon. Armstrong has a total of 8 days and 14 hours in space, including 2 hours and 48 minutes walking on the Moon.

After his lunar flight, Armstrong became the deputy associate administrator for aeronautics at NASA Headquarters. He resigned from NASA in August 1971 to become professor of engineering at the University of Cincinnati, a post he held until 1979. Armstrong became chairman of the board of Cardwell International, Ltd., in 1980 and served in that capacity until 1982. During 1982-1992, he was chairman of Computing Technologies for Aviation, and from 1981 to 1999 he served on the board of directors for the Eaton Corporation. He was also vice chair of the Rogers Commission, which investigated the Space Shuttle Challenger accident in 1986.

Armstrong has been the recipient of numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Robert J. Collier Trophy in 1969, the Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy in 1970, and the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 1978.[3]