The Cold War space race between the United States and the Soviet Union took a dramatic turn. On June 21, 1969, Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon. capable of successfully stepping on the surface of the satellite. In this way, the North American country won a great game of chess against its staunch rivals.
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Neil Armstrong, an exemplary life for the first man on the moon
Born in Wapakoneta, on August 5, 1930, Neil Armstrong it was guarantor of a life full of credential honors. In addition, he was an extremely exemplary man, dedicated to every area where he worked as such. In that sense, he carried the title of aerospace engineer, just as he was part of the army as a war pilot.
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Armstrong also has an endorsed certification as an experienced test pilot, as well as a university professor. And, as if that were not enough, the icing on the cake for that glorious resume, is that of being the first man on the moon.
His life was characterized by constant upheavals and radical changes based on what he believed was right. Since actively participating in the Korean War until forming part of the body of aspirants to the space agency as such.
After his perseverance, he was selected in 1962 to join the astronaut corps, coupled with his relentless intellect. Armstrong did not hesitate to enlist to have a place in NASA's top and most ambitious projects. His enthusiasm soon catapulted him to immediate success.
From that point on, he was appointed commander for two major space missions. The first one, aboard the Gemini 8 in 1966, becoming the first man in space as such. And, the second, inside Apollo 11, ship that was able to achieve the moon landing with total effectiveness.
At that time, Neil Armstrong became part of the laurels of history, as the first man on the moon. A totally unthinkable feat for that historical moment without a doubt.
Chronology of "the first man on the moon". How did Apollo 11 unfold?
In 1969, the goal of the NASA and from the United States was totally clear, set man on the moon immediately. It was known that an event of such magnitude could not be accomplished without the best, so the best were prepared.
The development of the Apollo 11 spacecraft was coordinated by great engineers to achieve an effective result. In addition, they were based on recent missions, collecting data and precise formulas to reach a satisfactory conclusion.
Before being the first man on the moon, Neil Armstrong had already manned another Gemini program ship. Thanks to his steadfast performance and endorsed by the title of the first man in space, he earned the opportunity to command Apollo 11. From that moment on, the hope of humanity to discover other worlds rested on his shoulders.
However, although the weight of such a premise was greater than his own life, Armstrong successfully landed on the moon. Sure, it all seems simple, but in reality, there is a chain of concatenated events that is worth mentioning.
The elaborate and precise launch of Apollo 11
The first step to conquer the moon, was to carry out an effective and totally fault-free takeoff. For this, the pumping of fuel for the module of the ship, began up to 3 days before. This process described a duration up to 8 hours prior to its launch, emphasizing the meticulousness of the event.
On July 16, 1969, Neil Armstrong, along with Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins, managed to propel the ship to the right point. Apollo, attached to the Saturn V space rocket, having reached its ignition power, took flight from Cape Canaveral. This event was televised and broadcast around the world, also marking a television milestone.
The difficult journey from Earth to the lunar satellite
The second step to becoming the first man on the moon was to prepare Apollo for the trip. In that sense, he must remain intact, orbiting the Earth, while the last details were polished. That is, the fuel level was checked, navigation systems and the path to follow.
When everything was in order and experiencing its second Earth orbit, Apollo began its journey to the Moon. Counting on tons and tons of fuel in his third reactor, he managed to go much of the way to shorten it. Armstrong and company then had to make the necessary adjustments to pilot the module to its destination.
Finally the moon landing
One of the problems associated with the moon landing, rested on the fact of landing on the surface of the satellite. Controlling the speed was of vital importance, since gravity or other factors could influence the course.
However, on July 20, 1969, Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins achieved a feat that, to date, was impossible. They took the first steps on the moon and, as Armstrong said, it symbolized a great leap for humanity.
Importance of the man on the moon. What did it mean for science?
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The fact of having landed on the moon is the first great importance of the presence of man on the moon. Still, it was just the tip of the iceberg in a sea of possibilities. For this moment, represented the ability of the human to go to other worlds when a joint effort is achieved.
In addition, by locating the man on the moon, it was possible to extract face-to-face and relevant materials from the surface. In this way, it contributed to the understanding of lunar development, as well as its composition in general.
The voyages of Apollo and, largely thanks to Armstrong, They have raised the flag very high with respect to aeronautics. However, there is no doubt that, in the future, the human being will venture further. It is only a matter of time to emulate what Armstrong and company did during that time.