spacetoday.net: Neil Armstrong, first man to walk on the Moon, passes away

Neil Armstrong, first man to walk on the Moon, passes away

Posted: Sat, Aug 25, 2012, 5:41 PM ET (2141 GMT)
Armstrong, Neil in 2012 (J. Foust)

Neil Armstrong, the former NASA astronaut who became the first person to walk on the surface of the Moon in 1969, passed away Saturday at the age of 82. Armstrong died following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures, according to a statement released by his family. Armstrong underwent cardiac bypass surgery earlier this month. Armstrong is best known as commander of Apollo 11, the first crewed mission to land on the Moon, and he became the first person to set foot on the Moon, joined by lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin. Armstrong also flew on the Gemini 8 mission in 1966. Armstrong left NASA in 1971 and went on to careers in academia and industry, and also served on the NASA Advisory Council.