Why was a civilian chosen over two military officers to be mission commander of Apollo 11?

Why was Neil Armstrong chosen for Apollo 11?

Neil Armstrong was chosen to be the first person on the moon due to the basic structural design of a part of the Eagle. Out of a group of 29 astronauts that trained for the Apollo mission to the moon, only three were chosen when the final announcement was made in January of 1969.

Who were the people involved with Apollo 11?

Apollo 11’s crew members were commander Neil Armstrong, lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin, and command module pilot Michael Collins.

What was the designation of each astronaut in Apollo 11?

The crew members for this historic mission were Neil Alden Armstrong, commander; Lt. Colonel Michael Collins (USAF), command module pilot; and Colonel Edwin Eugene “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr. (USAF), lunar module pilot.

How did they decide who was going to walk on the Moon first?

Buzz Aldrin, the lunar module pilot on Apollo 11, wrote in a Reddit AMA that the junior crewmember had performed the spacewalk first in previous NASA missions. According to Aldrin, NASA decided Armstrong should walk on the moon first because it was “symbolic.”

How were the astronauts chosen?

The first U.S. astronauts were selected in 1959, before human spaceflight operations began. NASA asked the military services to provide a list of personnel who met specific qualifications. After stringent screening, NASA announced its selection of seven men, all pilots, as the first American astronauts.

Who was supposed to be the first person on the moon?

The agency originally planned for Aldrin to be the first man to step on the moon. But the lunar module posed design challenges that made this order difficult. The hatch opened on the opposite side where Aldrin was seated.

How many of the Apollo 11 astronauts are still alive?

Four of America’s moonwalkers are still alive: Aldrin (Apollo 11), David Scott (Apollo 15), Charles Duke (Apollo 16), and Harrison Schmitt (Apollo 17).

What challenges did the Apollo 11 crew face?

Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin had to troubleshoot unexpected problems, like a “lumpy” lunar gravitational field, a rocky landing site and some extra oomph at the start of the lunar module’s journey.

Who survived Apollo 11?

Collins stayed in lunar orbit as his colleagues Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon. Aldrin, 91, is now the only surviving member of the mission.



How did Neil Armstrong get chosen to go to the moon?

NASA’s chief of the Astronaut Office, Donald Kent “Deke” Slayton, chose an all-veteran team of Neil Armstrong (Gemini 8), Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin (Gemini 12) and Michael Collins (Gemini 10), with Armstrong selected to command the mission.

How much was Neil Armstrong paid for Apollo 11?

$27,401

For these reasons, Armstrong was paid $27,401, or $190,684 in today’s dollars, for his role in the Apollo 11 mission—a significant sum at the time but a bargain compared to what he could have earned today.

Was Neil Armstrong nervous to go to the moon?

They reveal Armstrong wasn’t concerned about his safety or the high chance of dying in space but he was extremely stressed by the pressure his country had put on him to pull off the near impossible mission.



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