IN TRIBUTE TO NEIL ARMSTRONG

IN TRIBUTE TO

 NEIL ARMSTRONG

‘THE FIRST MAN TO LAND ON THE MOON ON JULY 20,1969 A DAY NO ONE CAN FORGET

Neil Alden Armstrong, astronaut and first man to walk on the moon,may have physically left the world, at 82, on August 25. Born in Wapakoneta,Ohio,in 1930,he acquired his students pilot’s licence by 16,in 1947,he went to purdue University on a navy scholarship to study aeronautical engineering. The Korean War two years later, saw him fly 78 combat missions, where he did an Msc in aerospace engineering at the University of southern California .

 1955 he became a research pilot in what was to become the National Aeronautics and space administration (NASA) He is on record as having flown and tested jets, rockets, helicopters and gliders. His window of opportunity came in 1962, when he was chosedn among nine test pilots for space programme. It was the vision of President John F.Kennedy to see America make a manned moon landing that pushed Armstrong to fame.

In the passing of Neil Armstrong, America has lost not only a national hero, but a man of great character who served his country in more ways than one.

We all know the highlights: those first historic steps on the moon’s surface, those unforgettable words, the day that held not only the country but the world transfixed. But there was much more. Neil Armstrong was, at heart, a dedicated engineer – or, as he put it, “a white-sock, pocket-protector, nerdy engineer” – who preferred a private life to the public adoration so many would have reveled in. That was a key part of what made him a true American hero in the classic, and far too rare, sense: his bravery, his intellect, his talent, yes; but also his inability to seek adulation and his reluctance to accept celebrity. He didn’t rush to the spotlight or pound his chest. He always noted that his and his colleagues’ accomplishments were the result of hundreds of thousands of people over years and years. He was a man who loved what he did and was good at it; that was all the reward he needed.

Neil Armstrong served his country as a Navy fighter pilot in the Korean conflict, in the NASA space program and as a senior NASA official. Upon his retirement from NASA, he continued to give back, as a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati. And in fighting to preserve America’s manned space-flight program, he did his country a tremendous service yet again.

I first met Neil after he, Apollo 13 Commander Jim Lovell and Gene Cernan – the Apollo 17 Commander and the last man on the Moon – wrote an open letter questioning the Obama Administration’s proposal to abandon the moon program. It was a rare breaking of the traditional silence on such matters and an even rarer step into the spotlight for Mr Armstrong. They were not alone in their concern – it was shared by experts and members of Congress on both sides of the aisle.

The initial Administration plan proposed cancelling the existing space exploration program and suspended plans to build a replacement for the space shuttle, placing immediate reliance on commercial capabilities, which were undeveloped and unproven. Neil Armstrong was particularly concerned about leaning too heavily on commercial crew vehicles, rightly believing that NASA should have ultimate ownership and stewardship of deep-space exploration.

The astronauts’ testimony at a subsequent Senate hearing helped inform the 2010 NASA Reauthorization Act, and their unyielding advocacy helped get the bi-partisan bill passed, saving the nation’s manned space exploration program.

They perfectly summarized why the program is both exceptional and necessary in their initial: “America’s space accomplishments earned the respect and admiration of the world. Science probes were unlocking the secrets of the cosmos; space technology was providing instantaneous worldwide communication; orbital sentinels were helping man understand the vagaries of nature. Above all else, the people around the world were inspired by the human exploration of space and the expanding of man’s frontier. It suggested that what had been thought to be impossible was now within reach.”

America’s space program continues to hold the world in thrall. Hundreds of millions of people have seen the amazing pictures beamed back by the Mars rover, knowing its continued exploration brings the next logical step in our space-flight program – a manned mission to Mars – that much closer. And that is thanks to Neil Armstrong in more ways than one.

Barack Obama, Mitt Romney and former astronauts Buzz Aldrin  , John Glenn and Michael Collins have come forward to pay tribute to Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk the moon, who died Saturday at the age of 82.

The NASA astronaut died following complications from heart-bypass surgery, which he underwent earlier this month."Michelle and I were deeply saddened to hear about the passing of Neil Armstrong," CBS News quoted Obama as saying in a statement issued by the White House.

"Neil was among the greatest of American heroes - not just of his time, but of all time. When he and his fellow crew members lifted off aboardAppollo  11 in 1969, they carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation.

"They set out to show the world that the American spirit can see beyond what seems unimaginable-that with enough drive and ingenuity, anything is possible. And when Neil stepped foot on the surface of the moon for the first time, he delivered a moment of human achievement that will never be forgotten.

"Today, 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," he said.

The President's Republican opponent Mitt Romney echoed those sentiments, calling Armstrong an American hero whose passion for space, science and discovery will inspire him for the rest of his life.

"The moon will miss its first son of earth," Romney said.

Former astronaut John Glenn said about Armstrong in a phone interview from Columbus, Ohio.

"When I think of Neil, I think of someone who for our country was dedicated enough to dare greatly," Glenn said.

Armstrong commanded the Apollo 11 spacecraft that landed on the moon on July 20, 1969. His crew member from the mission, Buzz Aldrin, issued a statement saying he was saddened to learn of Armstrong's death.

"Whenever I look at the moon it reminds me of the moment over four decades ago when I realized that even though we were farther away from earth than two humans had ever been, we were not alone. Virtually the entire world took that memorable journey with us," Aldrin said.

"I know I am joined by millions of others in mourning the passing of a true American hero and the best pilot I ever knew. My friend Neil took the small step but  giant leap that changed the world and will forever be remembered as a landmark moment in human history.

"I had truly hoped that in 2019, we would be standing together along with our colleague Mike Collins to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of our moon landing . Regrettably, this is not to be. Neil will most certainly be there with us in spirit," he said.

The third astronaut on the mission, Michael Collins, circled the moon in the mother ship Columbia 60 miles overhead while Armstrong and Aldrin went to the  moon surface.Collins told NASA on Saturday that he will miss Armstrong terribly, spokesman Bob Jacobs tweeted.

President Obama added “ Neil was among the greatest of American heros-not just of his time, but of all time.When Neil stepped foot on the surface of the moon for the first time, he delivered a moment of human achievement that will never be forgotten.

Prof. John Kurakar