Neil Armstrong

Neil Alden Armstrong (born August 5, 1930) is a former American test pilot and astronaut who was the first man to walk on the Moon.

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August 5 - 1930 - American - Test pilot - Astronaut - Moon

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Armstrong was born near Wapakoneta, Ohio and served in the Korean War. In 1950, he was sent to Korea where he flew 78 combat missions from USS Essex in a Grumman F9F-2 Panther. He received the Air Medal with two Gold Stars. He attended Purdue University where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity and Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1955. He later earned a masters degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California.

Related Topics:
Wapakoneta - Ohio - Korean War - 1950 - USS ''Essex'' - F9F-2 Panther - Purdue University - Phi Delta Theta - Fraternity - Kappa Kappa Psi - 1955 - Aerospace engineering - University of Southern California

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Armstrong then became a civilian test pilot for the NACA (the predecessor to NASA) at the High-Speed Flight Station at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Armstrong made a total of seven flights in the North American X-15, reaching an altitude of 207,500 feet (~63km) in the X-15-3 and a speed of Mach 5.74 (6,615 km/h or 3,989 mph) in the X-15-1. He left the Flight Research Center with a total of 2,450 flying hours in more than 50 types of aircraft.

Related Topics:
NACA - NASA - High-Speed Flight Station - Edwards Air Force Base - California - North American X-15

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From 1960 to 1962 he was a pilot involved in the X-20 Dyna-Soar orbital glider program.

Related Topics:
1960 - 1962 - X-20 Dyna-Soar

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