News Neil has passed away

[palebluevoice]

Just last night, I looked up at a crystal clear half-moon, and drew comfort from the fact that, while I am not significant individually, our species visited the place that quadrillions of our ancestors, human, primate or mammal have looked upon, and I, an insignificant high school student, touched a rock from that faraway place, forged with an impact of ungraspable scale; a rock made of the same basic particles I was, and now I looked up at it's source and drew comfort from our kinship and shared insignificance in our relative scale.

Neil made that epiphany possible. He represented us; he could have signed autographs, done interviews on every talkshow, and took every bit of credit he deserved; but instead, he lived in solitude comparable to the common man. He could have lived as a celebrity, but instead he lived until his death as he lives after his death; a tremendous idea and inspiration to everyone, speaking infinity through smiling and taking quiet pictures with presidents; sacrificing his image so that we could project our own. Thank you, Neil, because while I still feel alone in the world, I'll take in the "magnificent desolation" whenever I can.

 

[Andy44]

I think what hurts most about this is that it feels as though Armstrong, instead of being the first of many, wound up representing a bygone era in which we ventured ever farther out and spread civilization, improving both our freedom and our standard of living, racing bodly into the future, an era that seems almost laughable in today's cynical world of pointless wars and dwindling liberties.

I'm raising a glass to Mr. Armstrong, and to hope for a revival of the futuristic ideals we once aspired to. A life well-lived, sir, we look to your example.

 

[Donamy]

Would everyone please keep politics out of this thread.

 

[Sparrow]

I'm very touched by this news...The person who inspired me to an endless love of air/space travel. Rest in peace Neil

 

[george7378]

My parents have, many times, told me where they were and how they felt when he set foot on the Moon.

It makes me sad that my generation could be left with only stories of where they were when he died.

 

[Donamy]

Could some one sticky this somewhere ?

 

[STS]

R.I.P Neil Armstrong, inspirer for a lot of people.

 

[FordPrefect]

A sad day.

Clouds cover the sky here tonight, can't see the first quarter moon. Almost the same lunar phase as you took your first steps on our celestial neighbours surface.

Thank you Neil for all the inspiration. You changed my life.

 

[Ripley]

RIP Neil.

 

[FADEC]

From now on we live in a world where the first man on the moon has become the first one from the Apollo 11 crew who passed away.

A few years ago I thought about writing a letter and send it to Neil, in hope to get a reply. And now I won't ever get the chance. This once again tells me that not to think about something, but rather do it before it's too late.

I always was aware that this day has to come. And I was thinking about it quite often. The last time I thought about it was when I read about Neils surgery. And now the day has come. And those days will come closer not too long into the future. The Apollo Astronauts Corps consisted of personalities which were born in 1930 mostly, just as Neil, Aldrin and Collins.

I know that Neil did not like to be called a hero only because of this single event [being the first one to set foot on lunar soil]. He wanted to be honored for all of his duties. To take a seat on top of a rocket that produces more than 7 million pounds of rocket thrust in order to propel its payload beyond earth orbit, with the intention to hit the Moon and even land on it, during times when space flight still was a new frontier for only a few years, is a very tough job. Not any less tougher than being a fighter pilot in a real war scenario. Not any less tougher than being a test pilot for the United States Air Force. Not any less tougher than being stuck in a spinning out-of-control Gemini 8 spacecraft.

So I honor him for all of his duties. And I am delighted for him, because he got the chance to become one of only 12 men who got the chance to walk on the Moon, and he was the one to do so first. What he, and all of his fellows, contributed to the technological progress and understanding of space travel, is almost invaluable. He was, amongst others during that era, a true explorer by putting his life on the line to broaden our horizons.

I would not be in this forum, would not be interested in Orbiter and everything else which is space related, without persons like Neil.

Thanks Neil for inspiring me and entire generations

 

[DanM]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fPJCEHumvE"]Journey to the Moon (Apollo 11 Moon Landing Remixed) - YouTube[/ame]

Neil, you truly made us all feel proud to be humans!

 

[Chub777]

Rest in peace, Neil.

 

[jthill]

One of those whose passing makes the world seem smaller.

 

[Donamy]

...and a little emptier.

 

[N_Molson]

He certainly will be forever a unique human being. The first one to have set foot on another planetary body than Earth.

There was nothing like that before. There were people living in America before europeans conquistadores and settlers. Vikings boats remains have even been found in Canada.

But this is unique. The first man to walk on something else than Earth did it the 20th of July 1969 at 20:17:39 UTC. This man was, and will always remain, Neil A. Armstrong.

 

[Kyle]

I hope he's given a proper resting place so that, as we do with Columbus, Magellan, and all the great explorers of the day, people can hundreds of years from now pay their respects to the first human being to walk on another heavenly body.

 

[fsci123]

Rest in peace Neil Armstrong. Your journey to the unknown beyond this earth has inspired many back home and will inspire the future generations and the future inhabitants of the moon that you made your small step.

 

[N_Molson]

It makes the first page of the local newspapers :

Le Monde : http://www.lemonde.fr/sciences/article/2012/08/25/neil-armstrong-premier-homme-a-avoir-marche-sur-la-lune-est-mort_1751464_1650684.html

Ouest-France : http://www.ouest-france.fr/actu/actuDet_-Neil-Armstrong-le-premier-homme-a-avoir-marche-sur-la-Lune-est-mort_39382-2107051_actu.Htm

Le Figaro : http://www.lefigaro.fr/international/2012/08/25/01003-20120825ARTFIG00383-l-astronaute-americain-neil-armstrong-est-mort.php

Libération : http://www.liberation.fr/monde/2012/08/25/neil-armstrong-est-mort_841851

La Croix : http://www.la-croix.com/Actualite/S-informer/Monde/Neil-Armstrong-premier-homme-a-avoir-marche-sur-la-Lune-est-mort-_NG_-2012-08-25-846117

etc...

 

[Rocketeer]

One of our truly great heroes has passed.

I believe he is great for two reasons other than being the first man to walk on the moon. He was the first man to land on the moon. Neil said that he considered the landing a much greater challenge, and a greater accomplishment, than actually walking on the surface.

The other is his total humility and even his surprise at the fame and attention that his accomplishment garnered. He always felt that his being chosen as the first to walk on the moon was the luck of the draw and that his accomplishment was made possible through the work of thousands of others. How many of our heroes of today do not profit from their accomplishments? I'm not saying that this is wrong - it is the norm in today's society. But it just emphasizes Neil’s strong character.

Godspeed Neil Armstrong.

 

[Mantis]

Rest in peace Neil. You were an American hero but you were also a world hero. You were the first of our species to step foot onto the surface of another world and your name will be revered in the history books along side those of the other great explorers who broadened our horizions and boldly led us to the far off places that we needed to go.

This is the statement released by Buzz Aldrin upon hearing of Neil's passing:

"I am very saddened to learn of the passing of Neil Armstrong today. Neil and I trained together as technical partners but were also good friends who will always be connected through our participation in the mission of Apollo 11. Whenever I look at the moon it reminds me of the moment over four decades ago when I realized that even though we were farther away from earth than two humans had ever been, we were not alone. Virtually the entire world took that memorable journey with us. I know I am joined by millions of others in mourning the passing of a true American hero and the best pilot I ever knew. My friend Neil took the small step but giant leap that changed the world and will forever be remembered as a landmark moment in human history."