Neil Armstrong (August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012) was an American astronaut, Navy fighter pilot, NASA test pilot, aerospace engineer, and university professor. He was the first human to set foot on the Moon. Armstrong commanded the Apollo 11 spacecraft and successfully landed on the moon July 20, 1969, capping the most daring of the 20th century's scientific expeditions. His first words from the Moon: "That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind," have been etched in history books around the world. Armstrong and fellow astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin spent nearly three hours walking on the moon, collecting soil samples, conducting scientific experiments and taking photographs. In all, 12 Americans walked on the moon from 1969 to 1972.

Before becoming an astronaut, Armstrong was a United States Navy officer and served in the Korean War. After leaving the navy, he became a NASA test pilot when he was chosen to be an astronaut. He worked at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics High-Speed Flight Station, now known as the Dryden Flight Research Center, where he flew over 900 flights in a variety of test aircraft. His first space flight was aboard Gemini 8 in 1966.

Neil Armstrong graduated from Purdue University a bachelors degree in aerospace engineering and the University of Southern California with a masters degree in aeronautical engineering.

On August 25, 2012, Armstrong died at the age 82 following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures. Although the first human on the Moon, Armstrong stayed low-key during the rest of his life.