Why Did Neil Armstrong Get to Be the First to Walk on the Moon?

TL;DR

Neil Armstrong was chosen to be the first person on the moon due to the design of the Apollo spacecraft's hatch, his "one small step" line was pre-planned, and President Nixon had a speech ready in case of a moon disaster.

Transcript

On July 20th, 1969, with “one small step,” Neil Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon. Since that date forty five years ago, the moon landing has been the subject of intense study and historical analysis. From what Armstrong actually said with his first step to if the American flags the astronauts planted are still there, mankind’s... Read More

Key Insights

• 🧑 Buzz Aldrin campaigned to be the first person on the moon but was not chosen.
• 🐣 The design of the Apollo spacecraft's hatch influenced the decision to have Armstrong exit first.
• 😑 Neil Armstrong's famous line was pre-planned and shared with his brother.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins were the official crew of Apollo 11.

• Armstrong was chosen to be the first to walk on the moon because of the design of the Eagle's hatch.

• Armstrong's famous line was pre-planned and shared with his brother, while the second thing said on the moon was about the surface and movement.