NASA a flight around the Moon in December 1968. Shortly before, the Soviets had sent an unmanned spacecraft around the Moon. On the next two missions docking maneuvers that were needed for the Moon landing were practiced and then finally the Moon landing was made on the Apollo 11 mission in July 1969. The first person to stand on the Moon was Neil Armstrong, who was followed by Buzz Aldrin, while Michael Collins orbited above. Five subsequent Apollo missions also landed astronauts on the Moon, the last in December 1972. Throughout these six Apollo spaceflights, twelve men walked on the Moon.
First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong to that airport." The young Armstrong becomes a naval aviator. Management of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) takes an interest in Armstrong's combination of calmness and personal skill coupled with his above-average intellect. Although contrasting somewhat with many of his colleagues, the Apollo 11 crew winding up as "amiable strangers", he attracts widespread respect. The fact that Armstrong gets chosen to be "first down" on the lunar surface is a surprise, with astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin Jr. being expected to get priority. The mission itself proceeds spectacularly well, and Armstrong gives his famous line: "That's one small step