President Richard Nixon views the Apollo 11 astronauts in the isolation unit aboard the USS Hornet after splashdown and recovery, July 24, 1969. The Astronauts, from left, are: Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin.  Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, has stepped into eternity.  Armstrong died Saturday at the age of 82 following complications “resulting from cardiovascular procedures,” his family said.  The world’s most famous astronaut had undergone cardiac bypass surgery Aug. 7.  OBAMA: ARMSTRONG 'AMONG THE GREATEST OF AMERICAN HEROES'  PHOTOS: NEIL ARMSTRONG LANDS ON THE MOON  FULL TEXT OF STATEMENT FROM NEIL ARMSTRONG'S FAMILY  Armstrong was “a reluctant American hero who always believed he was just doing his job,” Armstrong’s family said in a statement. “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.”  Armstrong shot to instant fame in 1969 when he and fellow astronaut Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon aboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft.  Millions around the world were glued to their TV sets as Armstrong carefully climbed down the ladder and set his left foot on the surface of the moon. It was one of the most defining moments in the history of television, and Armstrong captured it perfectly with an iconic phrase that echoed through the cosmos.  “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” Armstrong said.  In a case of cosmic interference, Armstrong insisted his famous phrase was misinterpreted. He claimed he said “a” before man, but admitted he too couldn’t hear it in the version heard by millions.  Former astronaut Neil Armstrong receives the NASA Ambassadors of Exploration award April 18, 2006 in Cincinnati, Ohio.  The moonwalk sealed America’s victory in the Cold War space race — which began in 1957 with the Soviet Union’s launch of Sputnik 1. It also capped what was already an extraordinary life: Armstrong had gone from a “nerdy engineer” to one of the world’s most celebrated heroes. Along the way, he had been a Navy fighter pilot and a test pilot for NASA’s forerunner.  Through it all, and even long after those closely watched few steps, Armstrong remained remarkably humble — shying from the spotlight and downplaying his many accomplishments.  “I am, and ever will be, a white socks, pocket protector, nerdy engineer,” he said in February 2000 in one of his rare public appearances. “And I take a substantial amount of pride in the accomplishments of my profession.”
As commander of the Apollo 11 mission, Armstrong became the first human to set foot on the moon on July 20, 1969.