This month represents the 60th anniversary of the first human in space, Russian Yuri Gagarin – whose flight triggered the next trip into space, by American Alan Shepherd – on May 1, 1961. From that point forward, through America’s Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo missions – the Great Space Race was on.
Then, in a wonder to match all wonders, on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong, and Buzz Aldrin – two fearless Americans – were the first humans to walk on the Moon; colleague Mike Collins circled in lunar orbit. The only humans ever to walk on the Moon – have been Americans. And we just lost Mike Collins, who was a master of the Command Module.