LIFE Neil Armstrong 1930-2012: "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."

by LIFE

When the boy from Ohio was growing up he became obsessed with flight-he piloted a plane before he drove a car. He raptly followed the exploits of Chuck Yeager in the Bell X-1, and wondered if he himself might have the right stuff one day. As he saw the Mercury 7 astronauts assembled, he lamented that he had been born a generation too late for the great adventure into outer space. But Neil Armstrong's chance would come. His colleagues in the Gemini and Apollo programs wondered at his preternatural calm as he piloted through near-death experiences, and then, finally, in 1969, the Eagle landed, and Armstrong took "one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind." He was instantly declared an American hero, but was he one? The good news, as thrillingly documented in the pages of this commemorative LIFE tribute, is that Armstrong was exemplary in many ways. From the boyhood years to the life-changing-and world-changing-accomplishment, Armstrong stayed true to his course, and did thereafter until his death in August 2012 at age 82. All of it is LIFE's coverage of the space race, the family photos from Ohio, the tick-tock coverage of Apollo 11, the retreat into the peace and quiet-and family life-that always mattered to Neil Armstrong. When he was younger, Armstrong gazed at the astronauts in the pages of LIFE. And now, his story is told there once more-in full.

96 pages, Hardcover

First published October 16, 2012

About the author

Life was an American magazine published weekly from 1883 to 1972, as an intermittent "special" until 1978, and as a monthly from 1978 until 2000. During its golden age from 1936 to 1972, Life was a wide-ranging weekly general interest magazine known for the quality of its photography.

Reviews

[Adam Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short pictorial history of the life of Neil Armstrong by Life magazine. Life had exclusive rights and access to the Astronauts and their families during the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions and there are some stunning pictures and stories. Armstrong was able to remain preternaturally cool in the most dangerous situations such as ejecting from his training vehicle 1.5 seconds before it flew out of control and exploded or managing to wrest control of the wildly spinning Gemini 8 capsule when a thruster was stuck on and bring it safely back to Earth. Some excellent stories and quotes here including this one when Armstrong was asked for perhaps the millionth time what the moon was like. "It's an interesting place to be. I recommend it".

[Brian Darvell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and concise biography on space’s most elusive person. This is a great start into understanding the world that Neil Armstrong came from and the world he left behind. Great photographs too!