The United States of America is the only ever to land a manned spacecraft on the of the moon. The first person to walk the moon was Neil Armstrong. Armstrong set foot the surface of the moon on July 20, , in what was one of the most watched in the history of the country. Armstrong became instant celebrity, whose name became a household word generations to come.

The lunar landing mission was out on the Apollo 11 Spacecraft. Armstrong was mission commander for the historic flight, and was second and last mission flown by him. There complications involving the landing module that Armstrong dealt at the time of the landing. The module coming in faster than planned. It was destined miss the landing site by several miles, but quick thinking by Armstrong prevented a potential disaster.

Armstrong did step onto the lunar surface, his echoed throughout the country and the world: "That's small step for man, one giant leap for ." Years later, Armstrong and the National Aeronautics and Administration (NASA) insisted that the quote was incorrect, was obscured by interference. However, the quote is forever in its original form.

Armstrong received the Medal of Freedom from President Richard Nixon, and later awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor President Jimmy Carter. The program was discontinued in early 1970s. Other countries have landed unmanned missions the Earth's largest satellite, but to date, no person has walked on the moon since then. Armstrong, a true American hero, died in 2012 complications from a surgical procedure.