Neil Armstrong was born on August 5th, 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio. 

Neil and his father shared a love of airplanes. Neils father would tell him stories of flying biplanes and that inspired Neils love for aircraft. 

When Neil grew up, he became a naval aviator for the Korean War, he flew 78 combat missions. After, he joined the National Advisory Committee for aeronautics which is now known as NASA. 

After the Korean War, came cold war. There was much rivalry against the United States and the Soviet Union regarding the space race. The Soviet Union created the first satellite during this time called Sputnik in 1957. This made many Americans fear we were losing the space race. 

In 1961, President John. F Kennedy challenged the United States to get a man to the moon before the end of the decade.

Neil, being a part of NASA, and having his aeronautics background was chosen to be the selected commander of the Appollo 11 space mission.