Neil Armstrong, an American astronaut who took part in the Apollo 11 mission, became the first person to set foot on the moon. Armstrong made history on July 20, 1969, when he became the first person to set foot on the moon. He is remembered for saying, "That's one little stride for man, one great leap for humanity." He was joined on the trip by fellow Americans Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins, who flew the command module circling the moon while Armstrong and Aldrin descended to the moon's surface in the lunar module.