Neil Armstrong E-Book

50MINUTES

• Herausgeber: 50Minutes.com
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Serie: History
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 29

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2016

Beschreibung

Keen to learn but short on time? Get to grips with the life of Neil Armstrong in next to no time with this concise guide.

50Minutes.com provides a clear and engaging analysis of Neil Armstrong. “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” – it was with these pivotal words that Neil Armstrong became world-famous, being the first man to walk on the Moon and becoming a legend on 21 July 1969. Along with Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, he successfully completed this feat which proved the technological prowess of America to the rest of the world and changed the history of humanity forever.

In just 50 minutes you will:
   • Learn about Neil Armstrong’s life, education and career and how he came to be chosen to be the first man to set foot on the Moon
   • Understand the pivotal moments of the space race in the second half of the 20th century between America and the USSR
   • Analyse the success of Armstrong’s Apollo 11 mission, and how it managed to overcome problems to land on the Moon before returning to Earth safely

ABOUT 50MINUTES.COM | History & Culture
50MINUTES.COM will enable you to quickly understand the main events, people, conflicts and discoveries from world history that have shaped the world we live in today. Our publications present the key information on a wide variety of topics in a quick and accessible way that is guaranteed to save you time on your journey of discovery.

Leseprobe

Neil Armstrong

Key information

Born: 5 August 1930 in Wapakoneta (Ohio)Died: 25 August 2012 in Cincinnati (Ohio)Context: Space racePurpose of the mission: To send men to the MoonAreas of the universe explored: Space and the MoonAccomplishment: He was the first man to set foot on the Moon and bring back sample material

Introduction

Throughout history, humans have contemplated the skies and the Moon in particular, which has always fascinated men to the point where they dreamed of one day setting foot on its surface. The space race of the 20th century finally presented an opportunity to do so. On 16 July 1969, from the US base at Cape Canaveral, the Saturn V rocket containing the Apollo 11 spaceship took off, carrying three astronauts, including Neil Armstrong. Destination: the Moon!

The United States prepared for such a feat for almost a decade. Entering into a race against the USSR during the Cold War (1945-1990), they fell behind in the space race and missed out on achieving a lot of firsts in the field. Nevertheless, the Americans were not deterred, having promised to be the first to arrive on the Moon, and to do so before the end of the 1960s. The honor of the nation was at stake.

The voyage of Apollo 11 to the Moon was unhindered. After four days, the spacecraft began orbiting the satellite. The final phase could begin. Returning to the lunar module with one of his companions, Neil Armstrong began the descent to the ground. Despite some technical problems, the crew landed on the Moon on 20 July 1969 at 8:17pm UTC. After more than six hours, Neil Armstrong ventured out of the spacecraft on 21 July and set foot on the ground, becoming the first man to walk on the moon. This was a major turning point in the history of mankind.

Biography

A love for aviation and aerospace

Neil Armstrong was born on 5 August 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio. Born into a modest family, he quickly developed a passion for aviation and obtained his flying license on the day of his 16th birthday, before he even held a normal driving license. His family did not have the means to pay for his university studies, so Armstrong accepted a scholarship from the US Navy in exchange for service time in the army. Therefore, he enrolled at Purdue University (Indiana) in 1947, where he studied aeronautical engineering. But from 26 January 1949, he was forced to interrupt his studies to perform military service in the Navy. For 18 months, he attended pilot training on an aircraft carrier. He obtained his diploma in August 1950, shortly after the outbreak of the Korean War (1950-1953). In August 1951, still in service, Armstrong was set to the front, where he successfully completed 78 air missions. The following year, he was finally allowed to continue his studies, which he completed in 1955.

Photo of Neil Armstrong taken after a flight exercise in 1960.

The young man then began a career as a test pilot on jet aircrafts. He remained in this position until 1962, which allowed him to test high-performance engines, but also proved extremely dangerous. Meanwhile, the race for the conquest of space was heating up. After the exploits of the first American astronauts, Neil Armstrong decided to apply to NASA in 1962. Chosen to be a part of the NASA Astronaut Group 2, also called “New Nine”, he was the first American civilian to become an astronaut. Subsequently, he participated in the Gemini