A MINUTE'S SILENCE IN TRIBUTE TO ARMSTRONG

This article appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

A minute's silence in tribute to Armstrong

Scientists and stargazers have paid tribute to "inspirational" astronaut Neil Armstrong.

Staff at the National Space Centre, in Leicester, held a minute's silence at 11am yesterday in honour of the first man to walk on the moon.

Meanwhile, experts at the space physics department at the University of Leicester said Armstrong , who died on Saturday, aged 82, inspired countless children to become scientists and engineers.

Jamie Burgess, public relations manager at the National Space Centre said: "It is safe to say he was a very courageous man.

"To be able to have that bravery is an incredible quality in a person."

Malika Andress, the centre's head of marketing, said staff held a minute's silence to show respect to the legendary figure.

"It was important for us to mark the occasion, not only because he was the first man to walk on the moon, but also because he was an amazing academic who was really inspirational," she said.

"We wanted to show the respect we all had for him and the difference he made to space research and exploration.

"Even though he was 82, he had only recently made a statement he was still willing to work with Nasa to put humans on Mars. He was a remarkable man."

Mr Armstrong died of cardiovascular complications after heart surgery.

It is 43 years since he commanded the Apollo 11 mission that forged new frontiers in space travel.

About 600 million people around the globe watched and listened to the moon landing on July 20 1969.

Professor Ken Pounds, of the University of Leicester's space physics department, was a young lecturer in the city when he watched the iconic images on television.

"I remember, like everyone else, just being amazed by what I was watching," he said. "It was inspirational for everybody, and had a great impact on many, many areas of science."

Prof Pounds said the mission – and the scientists, engineers and astronauts who made it happen – inspired a generation.

"For the human space field of work, Apollo 11 was the most dramatic example so far, with Armstrong leading the way, having a unique capability to inspire," he said. "So many children who watched went on to think, 'I want to be a scientist', and are now working in Silicon Valley where life-changing things such as Google and Facebook are being created."

Mr Armstrong's family, who live in Cincinnati, Ohio, called him a "reluctant hero".

In a statement they said: "For those who may ask what they can do to honour Neil, we have a simple request: honour 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."