Life Neil Armstrong 1930 2012

When the boy from Ohio was growing up he became obsessed with flight-he piloted a plane before he drove a car. He raptly followed the exploits of Chuck Yeager in the Bell X-1, and wondered if he himself might have the right stuff one day. As he saw the Mercury 7 astronauts assembled, he lamented that he had been born a generation too late for the great adventure into outer space. But Neil Armstrong's chance would come. His colleagues in the Gemini and Apollo programs wondered at his preternatural calm as he piloted through near-death experiences, and then, finally, in 1969, the Eagle landed, and Armstrong took "one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." He was instantly declared an American hero, but was he one? The good news, as thrillingly documented in the pages of this commemorative LIFE tribute, is that Armstrong was exemplary in many ways. From the boyhood years to the life-changing-and world-changing-accomplishment, Armstrong stayed true to his course, and did thereafter until his death in August 2012 at age 82. All of it is here: LIFE's coverage of the space race, the family photos from Ohio, the tick-tock coverage of Apollo 11, the retreat into the peace and quiet-and family life-that always mattered to Neil Armstrong. When he was younger, Armstrong gazed at the astronauts in the pages of LIFE. And now, his story is told there once more-in full.

On July 20, 1969, the world stood still to watch American astronaut Neil A. Armstrong become the first person ever to step on the surface of another heavenly body. Upon his return to Earth, Armstrong was celebrated for his monumental achievement. He was also--as NASA historian Hansen reveals in this authorized biography--misunderstood. Armstrong's accomplishments as an engineer, a test pilot, and an astronaut have long been a matter of record, but Hansen's access to private documents and unpublished sources and his interviews with more than 125 subjects (including more than fifty hours with Armstrong himself) yield the first in-depth analysis of this elusive, reluctant hero.

Keen to learn but short on time? Get to grips with the life of Neil Armstrong in next to no time with this concise guide. 50Minutes.com provides a clear and engaging analysis of Neil Armstrong. “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” – it was with these pivotal words that Neil Armstrong became world-famous, being the first man to walk on the Moon and becoming a legend on 21 July 1969. Along with Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, he successfully completed this feat which proved the technological prowess of America to the rest of the world and changed the history of humanity forever. In just 50 minutes you will: • Learn about Neil Armstrong’s life, education and career and how he came to be chosen to be the first man to set foot on the Moon • Understand the pivotal moments of the space race in the second half of the 20th century between America and the USSR • Analyse the success of Armstrong’s Apollo 11 mission, and how it managed to overcome problems to land on the Moon before returning to Earth safely ABOUT 50MINUTES.COM | History & Culture 50MINUTES.COM will enable you to quickly understand the main events, people, conflicts and discoveries from world history that have shaped the world we live in today. Our publications present the key information on a wide variety of topics in a quick and accessible way that is guaranteed to save you time on your journey of discovery.

This series presents biographies of deceased members of the National Academy of Engineering.

Learn why NASA astronaut Mike Collins calls this extraordinary space race story "the best book on Apollo": this inspiring and intimate ode to ingenuity celebrates one of the most daring feats in human history. When the alarm went off forty thousand feet above the moon's surface, both astronauts looked down at the computer to see 1202 flashing on the readout. Neither of them knew what it meant, and time was running out . . . On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon. One of the world's greatest technological achievements -- and a triumph of the American spirit -- the Apollo 11 mission was a mammoth undertaking involving more than 410,000 men and women dedicated to winning the space race against the Soviets. Set amid the tensions and upheaval of the sixties and the Cold War, Shoot for the Moon is a gripping account of the dangers, the challenges, and the sheer determination that defined not only Apollo 11, but also the Mercury and Gemini missions that came before it. From the shock of Sputnik and the heart-stopping final minutes of John Glenn's Mercury flight to the deadly whirligig of Gemini 8, the doomed Apollo 1 mission, and that perilous landing on the Sea of Tranquility -- when the entire world held its breath while Armstrong and Aldrin battled computer alarms, low fuel, and other problems -- James Donovan tells the whole story. Both sweeping and intimate, Shoot for the Moon is "a powerfully written and irresistible celebration" of one of humankind's most extraordinary accomplishments (Booklist, starred review).

Much has been written about Neil Armstrong, America's modern hero and history's most famous space traveler. Yet shy of fame and never one to steal the spotlight Armstrong was always reluctant to discuss his personal side of events. Here for the first time is the definitive story of Neil's life of flight he shared for five decades with a trusted friend – Jay Barbree. Working from 50 years of conversations he had with Neil, from notes, interviews, NASA spaceflight transcripts, and remembrances of those Armstrong trusted, Barbree writes about Neil's three passions – flight, family, and friends. This is the inside story of Neil Armstrong from the time he flew combat missions in the Korean War and then flew a rocket plane called the X-15 to the edge of space, to when he saved his Gemini 8 by flying the first emergency return from Earth orbit and then flew Apollo-Eleven to the moon's Sea of Tranquility. Together Neil and Jay discussed everything, from his love of flying, to the war years, and of course his time in space. The book is full of never-before-seen photos and personal details written down for the first time, including what Armstrong really felt when he took that first step on the moon, what life in NASA was like, his relationships with the other astronauts, and what he felt the future of space exploration should be. As the only reporter to have covered all 166 American astronaut flights and moon landings Jay knows these events intimately. Neil Armstrong himself said, "Barbree is history's most experienced space journalist. He is exceptionally well qualified to recall and write the events and emotions of our time." Through his friendship with Neil and his dedicated research, Barbree brings us the most accurate account of his friend's life of flight, the book he planned for twenty years.

First Man on the Moon: His Life and Legacy "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." When Neil Armstrong placed his booted foot on the lunar surface, he took what was already conceived as a transcendent moment in a tumultuous time and, unbelievably, he elevated it. He wasn't just an astronaut, and it wasn't just about science, the space race with the Russians, or any other one thing. It was about possibility, and joy. Neil Armstrong, the new special edition from the editors of LIFE, tells the story of a legendary pilot that risked everything, alongside a brave team of astronauts and NASA engineers, to achieve the impossible. You'll learn all about the space race, and how Houston's finest made good on President John F. Kennedy's promise to reach the moon by the end of the 1960s. About the immense sacrifices-both in time spent and lives lost-the number of missions, and the number of failures before the ultimate success of the Apollo 11 landing. Plus: TIME senior writer Jeffrey Kluger stops by to regale us with a tale of the time he spent with Armstrong, and we take a peek behind the curtain at the new Oscar-nominated film based on the American hero's life, First Man. LIFE's Neil Armstrong is a must-have for the adventurer in your life, and a totemic reminder that when we put our minds to it, anything is possible.