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US PRESIDENT Barack Obama and astronaut Buzz Aldrin have led tributes to Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, who died yesterday.
Armstrong, who died from complications following cardiac bypass surgery, was praised for his willingness to embrace and then conquer challenges that had once seemed impossible.
“When he and his fellow crew members lifted off aboard Apollo 11 in 1969, they carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation,” said Obama, who was just short of his eighth birthday when the historic mission succeeded.
“They set out to show the world that the American spirit can see beyond what seems unimaginable – that with enough drive and ingenuity, anything is possible,” he added in a statement.
“When Neil stepped foot on the surface of the moon for the first time, he delivered a moment of human achievement that will never be forgotten.”
Aldrin, who with Armstrong was watched by an estimated global television audience of 500 million as they gingerly bounced on the moon’s surface in their chunky spacesuits, praised his comrade’s skill, dedication and selflessness.
“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,” Aldrin said, noting that his thoughts were with Armstrong’s devastated but proud family.
I will miss my friend Neil as I know our fellow citizens and people around the world will miss this foremost aviation and space pioneer.
The third Apollo 11 astronaut – Michael Collins, the command module pilot who orbited the moon while his crewmates landed – said Armstrong “was the best, and I will miss him terribly.”
Armstrong, a Korean War veteran who was decorated by 17 countries and received a slew of US honours, was never comfortable with the worldwide fame that stemmed from the Apollo 11 mission and had always shied away from the limelight.
“He didn’t feel that he should be out huckstering himself,” John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth told CNN, recalling Armstrong’s legendary humility.
He was a humble person, and that’s the way he remained after his lunar flight, as well as before.
For the United States, the Apollo 11 mission was a Cold War manoeuvre, a bid to fulfill the vow made by then-president John F Kennedy that NASA could overtake the pioneering Russian space program and put a man on the moon.
For spellbound audiences around the world, it was also an extraordinary and optimistic voyage of discovery and engineering, whose achievements had a profound effect on space and aviation, said Obama.
“Neil was among the greatest of American heroes — not just of his time, but of all time,” the president said. “Neil’s spirit of discovery lives on in all the men and women who have devoted their lives to exploring the unknown.”
Obama’s Republican challenger for the White House, Mitt Romney, said the space pioneer was an inspiration who now “takes his place in the hall of heroes.”
“With courage unmeasured and unbounded love for his country, he walked where man had never walked before,” said Romney, who spoke with Armstrong just a few weeks ago. “The moon will miss its first son of Earth.”
US defence secretary Leon Panetta bid farewell on behalf of the American military to one of its own.
“As a decorated Korean War veteran, as an astronaut for NASA, and as the first man to walk on the moon, Neil inspired generations of Americans to believe that as a nation we are capable of achieving greatness that only comes with determination, perseverance and hard work,” said the Pentagon chief.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said Armstrong’s death marked “the end of an amazing era in human progress.”
I got the Expressway bus home to the shticks from Dublin the other day and I couldn’t get over the number of drivers who were looking at their phones driving along the motorway. Even a couple of truck drivers! You can see it all from high up in the bus. Really scary when you consider we were doing over 100 kph.
@Molly1952:
I’ve seen a fair bit of phone scanning and texting, even tablet or laptop use, by drivers from the top deck of a Dublin Bus on many mornings and evenings.
Driving on the M50 just a few weeks ago I found myself beside a guy with his phone on the steering wheel busily tapping away.
Didn’t some English police force put an officer with a camera into a high truck cab a while back and dish out fines to these type of suicidal/homicidal idiots?
@Michael Kavanagh: the Spanish police do this
Just an observation but aren’t some of the Irish roads designed very badly…
@M3murf™ Rob: Yes .. simple things like the camber of the road on corners. So often sloped the wrong way. Entry and exit roads need a serious rethink as well.
Plus why do we need to have so many twists and turns on new roads. M6 as an example.
@Logan Shepherd: it’s to confuse the Leprechauns, slippy little suckers! Sorry, that’s a flippant remark. We’ll always have accidents however they’re caused, speed, poor driving etc., it’s a how the stars say some of us leave this life (still think the Leprechauns have a lot to answer for).
@Paula Mackie Senior: Yes we will, and you hold on to that sense of humour ..
@Logan Shepherd: they are there on purpose to slow you down
@Ian James Burgess: What is there on purpose? The wrongly sloped cambers or the twists and turns on a 120kph motorway ..
Wtf is going on with people driving like psychopaths? Slow the hell down.
@Windom Earle: Speed isn’t the cause of all accidents and death on our roads, appalling driving standards in this country by both male and female drivers of all ages lead to a lot of the carnage we hear of happening all to often.
@Leonard Barry:
Agreed but there is a big difference between the consequences of an accident at let’s say 50kph and 70kph
@Patrick Nolan: Even 50 and 60 if it’s a pedestrian or cyclist that’s hit.
@Patrick Nolan: same consequences if it’s a cyclist or pedestrian
@Michael Carolan:
Peter:
Agreed.
@Leonard Barry: I agree. There is an arrogance and a total lack of respect for road users in general. Everyone seems to be so impatient and in a hurry that they don’t even see anyone else on the road. They don’t expect the unexpected.
@Marie Prendergast: you can’t ‘expect the unexpected’, that’s the most stupid phrase invented
@Leonard Barry: speeding is appalling driving
@Boeing Lover: well you should expect the unexpected!
@Boeing Lover: To not be surprised by an unusual event. Anything could happen, and probably will. Hope that simplifies it for you!
Why close of the city/n11 etc for a 10k run, when you could easily run it in the phoenix park without any disruption to on a bank holiday weekend in the city, crazy decision.
Drivin into the City last nite up the Malahide Rd. Lad flys past in the Bus lane like a bat out of hell…. weaving in and out of lanes like a madman. He disappeared into the distance. Anyway i sauntered along and 90secs later hit the traffic lights ar fairview strand. Pulled up alongside guess who. Thought to myself weI thought wtf is that all about. Stressing yourself out driving like a headcase….wasting gallons more fuel…. increasing 10 fold your chances of an accident. Absolute madness.
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