Neil Armstrong was an American astronaut and aeronautical engineer, best known for being the first person to walk on the moon. He was born on August 5, 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio. Armstrong joined NASA in 1962 and flew on the Gemini 8 and Apollo 11 missions. On July 20, 1969, during the Apollo 11 mission, he famously stepped onto the lunar surface and declared, "That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind." His historic achievement marked a significant milestone in the space exploration era and inspired generations to pursue careers in science and technology.