"One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." - Neil Armstrong Neil Armstrong was an aerospace engineer, naval aviator, test pilot, university professor, but most notably, an American astronaut and the first person to walk on the Moon. In 1969, Neil served as the spacecraft commander for NASA's first manned lunar landing mission, Apollo 11 . On July 20, 1969 at 10:56 p.m., Neil Armstrong took his famous first step on the moon, making his mark in history for years to come. From that point on, he was known as a hero. From the Presidential Medal of Freedom to the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, Neil was acknowledged and honored for his work with numerous awards. Today, we are proud to acknowledge his historical work once again as we welcome him into our Hall of Genius.