Astronaut Neil Armstrong, first man to walk on moon, dies at age 82

(Editor's note: An early headline on this story briefly misstated Neil Armstrong's name.)

Slideshow: Neil Armstrong: 1930 - 2012

See images from the career of astronaut and American hero Neil Armstrong.

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Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, died Saturday, weeks after heart surgery and days after his 82nd birthday.

His family reported the death at 2:45 p.m. ET. A statement said he died following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures.

News of Armstrong's death was first reported by NBC's Jay Barbree.

Armstrong commanded the Apollo 11 spacecraft that landed on the moon on July 20, 1969, and he radioed back to Earth the historic news: "That's one small step for (a) man, one giant leap for mankind."

Internet responds to death of Neil Armstrong

He spent nearly three hours walking on the moon with fellow astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin.

In those first few moments on the moon, during the climax of heated space race with the then-Soviet Union, Armstrong stopped in what he called "a tender moment" and left a patch commemorate NASA astronauts and Soviet cosmonauts who had died in action.

The moonwalk marked America's victory in the Cold War space race that began Oct. 4, 1957, with the launch of the Soviet Union's Sputnik 1, a 184-pound satellite.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said "as long as there are history books, Neil Armstrong will be included in them."

Bolden said in a statement that Armstrong will be "remembered for taking humankind's first small step on a world beyond our own."

Armstrong was "one of America's greatest explorers" who readily accepted President John F. Kennedy's challenge to send an American to the moon, Bolden said.

Michael Collins, a crew mate of Armstrong's on the Apollo 11 flight, said through NASA's senior spokesman, Bob Jacobs: "He was the best, and I will miss him terribly."

Armstrong and his wife, Carol, married in 1999, made their home in the Cincinnati suburb of Indian Hill, but he had largely stayed out of public view in recent years. His birthday was Aug. 5.

Armstrong is survived by his two sons, a stepson and stepdaughter, 10 grandchildren, a brother and a sister, NASA said.

The family on Saturday issued this statement:

"We are heartbroken to share the news that Neil Armstrong has passed away following complications resulting from cardiovascular procedures.

Neil was our loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend.

Neil Armstrong was also a reluctant American hero who always believed he was just doing his job. He served his Nation proudly, as a navy fighter pilot, test pilot, and astronaut. He also found success back home in his native Ohio in business and academia, and became a community leader in Cincinnati.

He remained an advocate of aviation and exploration throughout his life and never lost his boyhood wonder of these pursuits.

As much as Neil cherished his privacy, he always appreciated the expressions of good will from people around the world and from all walks of life.

While we mourn the loss of a very good man, we also celebrate his remarkable life and hope that it serves as an example to young people around the world to work hard to make their dreams come true, to be willing to explore and push the limits, and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves.

For those who may ask what they can do to honor Neil, we have a simple request. Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink."

President Barack Obama said he and the first lady, Michelle, were deeply saddened to hear about Armstrong passing.

Armstrong and his crew “carried with them the aspirations of an entire nation,” Obama said. “He delivered a moment of human achievement that will never be forgotten. … That legacy will endure - sparked by a man who taught us the enormous power of one small step.”

Neil Armstrong spoke at Ohio State University during a February event honoring fellow astronaut John Glenn and the 50th anniversary of Glenn becoming the first American to orbit the Earth. In May, Armstrong joined Gene Cernan, the last man to walk on the moon, at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida to support the opening of The National Flight Academy, which aims to teach math and science to kids through an aviation-oriented camp.

The Apollo 11 moon mission turned out to be Armstrong's last space flight. The following year he was appointed to a desk job, being named NASA's deputy associate administrator for aeronautics in the office of advanced research and technology.

He left NASA a year later to become a professor of engineering at the University of Cincinnati.

In all, 12 Americans walked on the moon from 1969 to 1972.

More about Armstrong:

• Armstrong grew up in Ohio with a strong interest in flight and earned his pilot's license while still a boy.


• After flying combat missions during the Korean War, he became a test pilot and joined NASA's astronaut program in 1962.


• Armstrong's pulse was measured at 150 beats per minute as he guided the lunar lander to the moon's surface, NASA said.


• Asked about his experience on the moon, he told CBS: "It's an interesting place to be. I recommend it."


• A crater on the moon is named for Armstrong. It is located about 30 miles from the site of the landing.


• In 2005 Armstrong was upset to learn that his barber had sold clippings of his hair to a collector for $3,000. The man who bought the hair refused to return it, saying he was adding it to his collection of locks from Abraham Lincoln, Napoleon, Marilyn Monroe, Albert Einstein and others.


• Despite his taciturn nature, Armstrong once appeared in a television commercial for the U.S. automaker Chrysler. He said he made the ad because of Chrysler's engineering history and his desire to help the company out of financial troubles.