Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil Armstrong Dies

Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil Armstrong Dies

Neil Armstrong, the Apollo 11 astronaut, died Saturday at 82.  Armstrong's moonwalk is one of those events that brought the world together; most people who are old enough to have seen it can tell you exactly where they were when it happened.

"His one small step will inspire generations to come," said space shuttle astronaut Nicole Stott on Twitter. She quoted Armstrong from a 1994 speech: "There are places to go beyond belief."

"No other act of human exploration ever laid a plaque saying, 'We came in peace for all mankind,"" tweeted Neil DeGrasse Tyson, the astrophysicist.

President Obama - whom Armstrong criticized two years ago for cutting NASA's exploration plans -- was nevertheless effusive: "Neil's spirit of discovery lives on in all the men and women who have devoted their lives to exploring the unknown -- including those who are ensuring that we reach higher and go further in space. That legacy will endure -- sparked by a man who taught us the enormous power of one small step."

"Neil Armstrong today takes his place in the hall of heroes," said Mitt Romney. "The moon will miss its first son of earth."

Armstrong would doubtless have been uncomfortable with all the tributes. People who knew him said he was not a recluse, but he was a private man who quickly deflected credit to others. He described himself, more than once, as a "nerdy engineer." He often protested that while he and Aldrin made the first lunar landing, they merely piloted a mission made possible by thousands of others.

But after his death was announced, the words kept coming.

This from Sen. Bill Nelson, the Florida Democrat who once made a shuttle flight: "Neil Armstrong understood that we should reach beyond the stars. His 'one giant leap for mankind' was taken by a giant of a man."

And there was this from Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Texas), chairman of the House Science Committee: "He exemplified all that is great about mankind, and he will forever be revered as a true American hero."

His family, in their statement announcing that he had died, asked people to remember his humility.  "For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request," they said. "Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink."

Posted by James Fried on Monday August 27 2012, 11:23 AM EST. Ref: Reuters. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Nation. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0