Armstrong remembered at memorial

Abstract

Neil Armstrong, who died on 25 August, was recognized during a 13 September memorial service as a courageous, humble, and reluctant hero who in 1969 became the first person to step onto the Moon. The service, held at the National Cathedral in Washington, D. C., included remembrances from astronauts and friends, an excerpt from President John Kennedy's 1962 “We choose to go to the Moon” speech, and a somber rendition of the jazz standard “Fly Me to the Moon.” NASA administrator Charles Bolden said that Armstrong, commander of NASA's Apollo 11 mission, “left a foundation for the future and paved the way for future American explorers to be first to step foot on Mars or another planet. Today, let us recommit ourselves to this grand challenge in honor of the man who first demonstrated it was possible to reach new worlds—and whose life demonstrated the quiet resolve and determination that makes every new, more difficult step into space possible.”