R.I.P. Neil Armstrong

You probably know Neil Armstrong as the first man to set foot on the moon (or, if you’re a conspiracy theorist, the front man in the moon landing hoax). He preferred to think of himself as the first man to land a spacecraft on the moon, which he pointed out was a far more difficult feat. Wired has a great story about Armstrong that looks at him not as an astronaut, but probably more as how he saw himself: an engineer who just happened to fly some really, really, really challenging missions.

Armstrong died yesterday at the age of 82.

His family released a statement yesterday, and I really like the closing paragraph:

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.

Requiescat in Pace, Neil.