Neil Armstrong may be best known as the first man on the moon, but he has been involved with aviation his entire life. Learning to fly as a boy, he took on over 70 combat missions in Korea and took on several roles in his 17 year NASA career.

As a research pilot at the NACA High Speed Flight Station (now NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility) at Edwards,California, he was a project pilot on many pioneering jet and rocket aircraft, including the well-known 4000 mph X-15. He has flown over 200 different models of aircraft, including jets, rockets, helicopters, and gliders.

He transferred to astronaut status in 1962. He was the commander of the Gemini 8 flight in 1966, when he, with colleague David Scott, performed the first successful docking of two vehicles in space.

As spacecraft commander for Apollo 11, he, with colleagues Mike Collins and Buzz Aldrin, completed the first landing mission to the moon.

Mr. Armstrong subsequently held the position of Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics in NASA. In this position, he was responsible for the coordination and management of overall NASA research and technology work related to aeronautics.

During the years 1971 - 1979, he was Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinnati, where he was involved in both teaching and research.

Mr. Armstrong was born in Auglaize County, Ohio. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Purdue University, and a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California. He holds honorary doctorates from a number of universities.

Mr. Armstrong is a Fellow of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots and the Royal Aeronautical Society; Honorary Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the International Astronautical Federation. Mr. Armstrong was Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of AIL from 1989 to 2000. Mr. Armstrong is a Director of USX Corp., and RTI International Metals, Inc. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and the Academy of the Kingdom of Morocco. He served as a member of the National Commission on Space (1985-86), as Vice-Chairman of the Presidential Commission of the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident (1986), and as Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee for the Peace Corps (1971-73).

Mr. Armstrong has been decorated by 17 countries. He is the recipient of many special honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom; the Congressional Space Medal of Honor; the NASA Exceptional Service Medal; the Explorer's Club Medal; the Robert Goddard Memorial Trophy; the NASA Distinguished Service Medal; the Harmon International Aviation Trophy; the Federation Aeronautique Internationale's Gold Space Medal; the Robert Collier Trophy; the General Thomas D. White USAF Space Trophy; the AIAA Astronautics Award; the Octave Chanute Award; and the John J. Montgomery Award.