Neil Alden Armstrong (August 5, 1930 – August 25, 2012) was an American astronaut and aeronautical engineer who became the first person to set foot on the Moon. He was also a naval aviator, test pilot, and university professor.

Armstrong was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio. He graduated from Purdue University in 1955 with a Bachelor of Science degree in aeronautical engineering. After graduation, he served as a naval aviator in the United States Navy, flying combat missions in the Korean War.

In 1962, Armstrong was selected by NASA to become an astronaut. He was the command pilot of the Apollo 11 mission, which landed on the Moon on July 20, 1969. Armstrong became the first person to step onto the lunar surface, saying the famous words, "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind."

After the Apollo 11 mission, Armstrong continued to work for NASA. He served as NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics from 1971 to 1972. He also served as a professor of aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati from 1980 to 2002.

Armstrong received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to space exploration. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969 and the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 1978. He was also inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1971 and the International Space Hall of Fame in 1982.

Armstrong died in Cincinnati, Ohio, on August 25, 2012, at the age of 82.