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The first human to walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong, is "doing great" after undergoing cardiac bypass surgery, his wife reported.
Carol Armstrong's characterization of her husband's condition was relayed by another moonwalker, Apollo 17's Gene Cernan.
Neil Armstrong, who lives in the Cincinnati area and just celebrated his 82nd birthday, went to the hospital on Monday for a stress test. He flunked, and on Tuesday, surgeons bypassed four blockages in his coronary arteries. His wife reports that his spirits are high, and the doctors expect no problems with his recovery, Cernan told NBC News' Jay Barbree.
Armstrong became world-famous in 1969 when he and fellow Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon. As the mission commander, it was Armstrong's role to step out of the lander first, descend a ladder and take the first-ever footstep on the lunar surface. "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind," he declared.
After Apollo 11, Armstrong worked briefly at the Pentagon's Office of Advanced Research and Technology, then became an engineering professor at the University of Cincinnati in his native state of Ohio. He also served as a director on the boards of several companies, and retired as chairman of the board of EDO Corp. in 2002.
Armstrong traditionally has taken a low profile in public life: His most recent turns in the spotlight came when he testified at congressional hearings on the future of NASA human spaceflight, and when he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal last November.
In a statement, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said the space agency "wishes Neil Armstrong the very best for a quick recovery from surgery."
"Neil's pioneering spirit will surely serve him well in this challenging time, and the entire NASA family is holding the Armstrong family in our thoughts and prayers. I know countless well-wishers around the world join us in sending get-well wishes to this true American hero," Bolden said.
Feel free to leave your get-well wishes below, and we'll pass along the general sentiment to Armstrong and his family.
Update for 5:40 p.m. ET: Armstrong's crewmate, Buzz Aldrin, is among the well-wishers: "Just heard about Neil & heart surgery today — Sending my best wishes for a speedy recovery — We agreed to make it [to] the 50th Apollo anniv[ersary] in 2019," Aldrin writes in a Twitter update.
More about Neil Armstrong:
- Neil Armstrong still chooses to go to the moon
- First moonwalker urges suborbital spaceflight
- Corvette with Armstrong angle goes up for sale
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter and adding the Cosmic Log page to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
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Few will ever get to the places you went and we just dream about. I believe a world is sending its prayers up to the heavens for you and a good recovery !
Mr. Armstrong, I've had just a few vicarious thrills in my life. The last two Olympics, surely, where I tingled every time Michael Phelps jumped into the pool. But nothing has thrilled me more than remembering how, as an almost-eight-year-old girl I raced back to my grandma's to watch you and Mr. Aldren walk on the moon. Stephanie S. didn't quite get it, and she wanted to get back to playing amongst the weeping willows and lizards that defined Alice, Texas that hot, endless summer. But I will never forget lying on the shag carpeting, little legs behind me, focused so intently on what was going on. I was as aware then as I am now of the importance of the moment. Get well, sir.
Good luck to a speedy recovery... Mr. Armstrong, you, science and research is what America is all about.
God Bless.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery. May you live long and prosper! (as someone once said). You made America proud-and we still are!
May God bless you and your family.
Neil - I remember watching the moon landing with my family and making sure my little ones would stay awake to see it. One of those little ones is now a Colonel in the USAF and, as a pilot, he has been close to that moon many times since then. Take care and please get well soon. Thank you from another "flag waver".
Good luck for a speedy recovery. Mr. Armstrong, you, science and research is what America is all about.
God Bless.
I landde my plane just before Neil Armstong's plane landed in =Huntsville, AL in 1986. I met him briefly with about a dozen people in the lounge area for small aircraft pilots and passengers. He we very gracious. I regret not getting his autograph that he was giving. I didn't want to bug him. It was great hearing his voice and knowing that he was the one I saw on the TV in 1969. I was in my 30's and he was in his 40's. Time flies.
Best wishes and a speedy recovery. I can remember the moon walk like it was yesterday. My late sister, friends of ours from work and I were enjoying an afternoon at Lake McBride in Iowa. We were all enjoying our first real jobs and many changes in our lives. Lots of "firsts" in our lives then and lots of things have happened since. Thank you for your service, courage and making our space program so special.
How Neil Armstrong has handled his accomplishment should and for me does make him the most admired person. May he continue to live his remarkable life for many years.
Speedy recovery, Phi Delt brother! All of Purdue and Indiana Theta wish you well! YITB, Lew
It seems to me that Neil Armstrong has always treated his unique "first man on the moon" status with honor and dignity. Best wishes to him for a speedy, full recovery and many happy years ahead. May he make it to the 50th anniversary of the moon landing!
Dear Mr. Armstrong,
As a space nut, a Star Trek fan, and a Writer, I want to wish you a speedy recovery; and I hope whoever wins in November, you will persuade the next President to have NASA build moon capable capsules & bases built with
International Private rocket technology... NASA and Private Agencies TOGETHER can make a difference! :D
Everyone WINS when Aerospace Jobs get created and the Global Economy will survive because of it!
Curiosity on MARS, yay, I can't wait to see more photos!
Regards,
Markus McLaughlin
marknetproductions.net
Hudson, MA, USA
...In a time when America calls sports figures and rock stars "heroes..." it is good to remember that there are some real ones out there.
I just can`t imagine the nerve it would take to be the first people to walk down the ladder of the lunar lander . So many things had to be racing through their minds ...
Mr, Armstrong,
I just had quad bypass surgery less than two weeks ago. My first steps were early last week and I paraphrased you when I took them. Rest easy and holding a pillow against the chest really does help. Take care.
Richard
Speedy recovery to you too Richard.
Get well soon Richard. My dad just had heart surgery 2 weeks ago. Best thoughts & prayers.
Richard ====== good luck! My father had a by-pass and lived many years thereafter.
All, thank you for the kind words. I do appreciate it.
Mike 9, and best wishes to your dad.
To one of America's heroes, may you have a speedy recovery. I was a toddler when you walked the moon, but I've spent many evenings looking up to the moon and thinking about what you did there.
'
God speed in your recovery Mr Armstrong. the inpact you and the rest of the NASA team back in the 60's helped shape who i am today. Thank you for all your hard work.
God speed... God bless mr. armstrong... one of our last american heros
Mr. Armstrong
As a young man, I watched on that historic day! You and all of the astronauts were my heros and a big inspiration for me to join the military and hopefully become a astronaut. I joined the Army, hoping to be the first Army astronaut. Unfortunately, I was unable to pass a flight physical due to a undetected medical condition, that I had since childhood. I still thank you and the other astronauts for giving me direction and a dream to shoot for. Get well soon, and know that people all over the world wish you the best!
Thanks so much for your comments ... Tomorrow I'll wrap a few of them up in a nice email package and send them along to Jay Barbree, who will forward them to Neil Armstrong. So please keep 'em coming. I'm serious about this. :-)
God Speedy recovery Neil ....
What a real American hero you are and always will be ....
Here Here on that one Ben!
Dear Mr. Armstrong, to this day I now exactly what street I was on in Seattle when it was time for your decent. I double parked in front of a bar, ran inside and watched with the rest of the patrons. Obviously the wonder of the event has never left my mind, nor has your stunning abilities. Get well soon.
Get well soon Neil. We need you here
I wish him well but I was disappointed to learn the real moon landing most likely happened at a secrete movie studio in england.
Didnt they just photograph U.S. Flags on the Moon?