First man on the moon on Falklands cruise next November
The legendary astronaut Neil Armstrong who landed on the moon 40 years ago, is set to visit the Falkland Islands this coming cruise season. The pioneer who took that first “small step for man” will be aboard the National Geographic Explorer for a 21-day cruise to South Georgia, the Falkland Islands and Antarctica in November.
In an announcement timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing, Lindblad Expediotns said passengers who sign up for the trip will have the unusual opportunity of spending time with Armstrong -- surely one of the most famous explorers of all time -- as they are “following in the footsteps of heroic Antarctic explorers and reflecting on the future of exploration.”
The big question, we suppose: What will Armstrong say after taking his first small steps on Antarctica?
The adventure begins on November 15 of this year, when travellers depart for Chile, aboard the National Geographic Explorer chartered out of Ushuaia. The ship will head south across the Drake Passage towards the Antarctic Peninsula, where travellers will have the opportunity to explore Deception Island, Paradise Bay, and Port Lockroy. From there, it's on to Elephant Island, South Georgia, and the Falklands, before returning to Ushuaia and returning home.
Over the course of the three-and-a-half week voyage, passengers aboard the Explorer will have an opportunity to watch whales swimming in the Southern Ocean, walk amongst King Penguins, and kayak along the Antarctic Peninsula, exploring waters that few ever have the opportunity to visit. And joining them at every step of the journey will be Mr. Armstrong, making an already unique travel experience, even more amazing.
Neil Alden Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930 in Wapakoneta, Ohio. He holds a degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue University and a Masters degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California. From 1949 to 1952, Armstrong was a naval aviator. Upon leaving military service, he became a test pilot. While serving as a test pilot, he was chosen to be a member of the astronaut corps. Though he was on the backup crew of many previous flights, his first space flight occurred in 1966 aboard Gemini 8. During this flight, he and fellow astronaut David Scott successfully performed the fists docking in space between two vehicles.
In July of 1969, Neil Armstrong was the commander of Apollo 11, America's first attempt to land a manned vehicle on the Moon. On July 20, 1969 Commander Armstrong and fellow astronaut Edwin Aldrin successfully touched down on the lunar surface. As Armstrong became the first person to touch the Moon's surface, he spoke the unforgettable phrase, “That's one small step for man; one giant leap for mankind”.
He and Aldrin explored the Moon's surface for 2.5 hours. Armstrong was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of his accomplishments and his contributions to the space program
Neil Armstrong left NASA in 1971 to join the faculty of the University of Cincinnati. He remained there as a professor of aerospace engineering until 1979. Armstrong served on the National Commission on space from 1985 to 1986. In 1986, he was appointed as vice chairman of the presidential commission that investigated the Challenger explosion. Neil Armstrong is married and has two children. He currently lives quietly in Ohio.
Suggested Stories
-
Feb 06th 2012
Chile supports Malvinas claim but underlines ‘special relation’ with the UK
-
Feb 08th 2012
Argentina will accuse UK of South Atlantic and Malvinas militarization before UN
-
Feb 08th 2012
Falklands’ lawmakers lobby Caribbean nations in support of self-determination
-
Feb 07th 2012
Only the Falklands can determine its political future “not London, not Buenos Aires”
35 comments Feed
Note: Comments do not reflect MercoPress’ opinions. They are the personal view of our users. We wish to keep this as open and unregulated as possible. However, rude or foul language, discriminative comments (based on ethnicity, religion, gender, nationality, sexual orientation or the sort), spamming or any other offensive or inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated. Please report any inadequate posts to the editor. Comments must be in English. Thank you.
You should ask islanders if they were treated badly in Argentina, im sure you would be surprised.
Congratulations, anyway, you must be very pleased: LAN Chile thinks Mount Pleasant is in Argentina. I wonder how long it will take for the rest of the world's airlines to fall in line?
What you actually mean is that you'd happily boot them out of their homes. Thats complete and utter hypocrisy. Its precisely that attitude that is responsible for the Falklander's attitudes; but of course it won't be Argentina's fault in the slightest.
And as to Nitrojuan, Britain did nothing to humiliate Argentina, Argentina attempted to humiliate Britain with the resort to military force assuming a democratic Britain was weak and wouldn't respond. A “matter of principle” to humiliate at every opportunity a small island community, really your justifications for your behaviour are to be frank childish and pathetic.
Islander i asume you know what i meant, you live on Argentina's territory but from your point of view you live in another country.
Many have called to have the union flag removed from our flag as they see it insulting and not representative of the new New Zealand and many have joined the kiwi republic movement based on sentiment of anglophobia. There was a small protest in Aotea square in the city of about 16 argentine expats calling for the liberation of malvinas.
I am a 7th generation british kiwi. I have no opinion on Falklands/Malvinas so please stop insulting my country and countrymen in New Zealand and show respect to the nation that has allowed you to migrate and start again in a developed peacefull egalaterian 1st world country.
Cheers.
I think if that Argentine community is anti anglo saxon like you said they are in the wrong place but as long as they keep under the NZ law they have their rights.
I remember a couple of years ago, 3 british turist stolen and destroyed an argentine flag in Usuahia(against the law) and they were sended to jail and had a trial, so if this kind of acts happens in NZ i hope the same faith for them.
About your last comments when you show proudly your status of 1st world country, i contratulate you, you must be very very proud.
Recently masses of argentines and brazilians have flood into new zealand and are complaining about the kiwi flag and our affiliation to the british monarchy and pakeha and maori are also concerned as to why argentinians would want to migrate to new zealand and complain about our flag background and heritage. Luis you have legitimate rights to claim malvinas but your countryman in my country need to be tcb. That is a colonial term in nz for takin care of business. Are there kiwis in argentina and why do your countryman come to my country. How come australia and new zealand with small one british populations are peacefull an prosperus and violence and corruption free. Well once you let bad dogs into the pound mayhem reigns supreme.
You can have malvinas luis but latin people must leave anglo nations as we are the saxons and everyone wants to be like us. Why is argentina corrupt and irrational in fact so are italians and spaniards and eastern europeans infact every nation british people colonised turned to gold and you should look into that. Los Puma play like cowards.
Argentina has no rights over the Falkland Islands. There is nothing to be recognised...
So if we start from that point, you want me to agree with it?, do you agree with it?.
Tell me did Argentina wanted to expell islander? when? how?.
Did islanders were expelled or bad treated in mainland Argentina?.
So your stressfull lives are due to the status quo, maintained not by historic rights on those islands, but of a military force and a claim of selfdetermination, which not only does not apply in this case where territorial integrity is at stake but it works for excuse of Great Britain for not having to talk about history.
And no, i never set foot on the islands, but i tell you what, i am willing to let british to stamp my passport, if you recommend me for permanent residence, and let me buy a land there, without having to lose Argentine citzenship, is that possible for you? if you do give me right away your phone and dont worry about money its a little expensive there but i want my little ranch, and may be i can call it vernet's ranch.
Well yes they did actually. Bill Luxton and his entire family were unceremoniously deported for holding unpopular political views. Similarly David Colville was among residents in the islands unceremoniously deported. When that proved internationally embarassing they instead resorted to internal exile at Fox Ba, where islanders were subjected to threats of execution. I suppose some may say they were lucky since the regime at the time had the habit of throwing its opponents out of the back of planes without a parachute.
Were they badly treated on the mainland. Actually again yes they were, try reading David Colville's story for an example. Have islanders been badly treated? Yes on occasion and the advice is generally to avoid conversations about where they're from.
And it is possible to get a residence permit on the Falklands and remain an Argentine citizen, nothing to stop you. Equally there is nothing to stop you visiting, where you can explain to their faces why they have no rights in the land of their birth.
And again Luis, Britain's only concern is that the islanders determine their own future. If they wish to become part of Argentina, then the British will have no problem with that - their choice.
Britain only maintains a garrison because of the actions of your country and its continued threat to the Falklands. Before 1982 they maintained a garrison of only 40 Royal Marines as part of NP 8901, before 1965 there wasn't even that.
Nor do the British feel the need to re-write history as you do, nor do they ignore first hand accounts of events that contradict the official Argentine Government propaganda. Luis, had you an open mind you might consider the fact that your country's claim includes lies and that there is a ready explanation for the origin of the dispute. But no, you deny the basic facts.
You also claim not to hate the islanders but are happy to turn round and say they have no place in the islands. The two statements are an obvious contradiction.
FFFF=falklands forever,forever falklands. We are the saxons luis and the world belongs to us you diego slimey wog.
Without wanting to defend the undefendible military junta there were 3 civilian killed on the war, and they were killed by your militaries not ours.
Justin, britain along all this time maintain a 90% of the population of british origin, and people originated from mainland(Argentina, Brasil, Uruguay, etc...) does not represent even a 25% of population on the islands. We have more inhabitants in the most southest base General Belgrano II in the Antartic continent than in malvinas.
To pretend to justify this historic absence like if people in the continent refused to reside in malvinas for the bad weather is an insult to history.
Read again the UN list you are still a colony, not a separate entity from britain.
www.un.org/Depts/dpi/decolonization/trust3.htm
29 arg +-1% total
40.000.000 500kms distance
USH 60.000 PST 2500
both south atlantic islands and south atlantic cities with similar resources.
NO more colonial link with london.
free falklands.
David Colville and Bill Luxton were quite within their rights to do what they did. Their expulsion was illegal, war situation or not. The invasion was illegal so there was absolutely no obligation for either David or Bill to follow instructions from the illegal Argentine forces.
In one breath you say you don't want to defend an indefensible Junta and in the next you are defending that Junta's actions. Don't you think that looks just a little bit schizophrenic?
Many thanks for quoting the UN list of Non-Self-Governing Territories, also known as the C24 list. I assume this means you agree the Falkland Islands should be on this list?
Because if you do agree, then you must accept that UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 (1960), to which Argentina was a party, is applicable to the Falkland Islands?
In clause 5 of the declaration in Resolution 1514 it says this:
“Immediate steps shall be taken, in Trust and Non-Self-Governing Territories or all other territories which have not yet attained independence, to transfer all powers to the peoples of those territories, without any conditions or reservations, in accordance with their freely expressed will and desire, without any distinction as to race, creed or colour, in order to enable them to enjoy complete independence and freedom.”
So, the Falkland Islanders, as the “peoples of” of the Falkland Islands, have the right to the transfer of power “without any conditions or reservations, in accordance with their freely expressed will and desire”. It is up to the Falkland Islanders (and not Argentina) to decide what happens to the Falkland Islands.
Now before you go rushing to clause 6 of the declaration in defence of Argentina's territorial integrity make sure you read it carefully. It says:
“Any attempt aimed at the partial or total disruption of the national unity and the territorial integrity of a country is incompatible with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.”
The key word is “aimed”. This refers to a future action. In other words an attempt to disrupt the territorial integrity of a territory whilst it is undergoing decolonisation. This has nothing to do with Argentina's territorial integrity, since Argentina is not undergoing decolonisation, otherwise Argentina would be on the C24 list and not the Falkland Islands.
The outcome to decolonisation is made clear in Resolution 1541 (1960), where under Principle VI the three acceptable outcomes are given as: Independence, Free Association or Integration.
Integration with Argentina is not the ONLY possible outcome. It is up to the Falkland Islanders to decide what they want.
when you said:“”In one breath you say you don't want to defend an indefensible Junta and in the next you are defending that Junta's actions. Don't you think that looks just a little bit schizophrenic? “”
About the military junta, they killed 30.000 people from mainland Argentina, waged a war with kids, sended to die, burned the economy, but above all those terrible things, in malvinas war they took care of civilian to avoid casualties, so in a military regime in a war situations instead of torture islanders for painting a wall or desobey instructions, they were both Bill and David expelled.
I want to know if britain take the same attitude to iraq's civilians. I dont think so. How many civilians died becouse of british bombs?, How many civilians are beign tortured or killed now in democracy by the United Kingdom?, How are you going to denie torture (apply by our military junta 30 years ago) apply in iraq if i show you the links?
www.wsws.org/articles/2004/may2004/tort-m08.shtml
norightturn.blogspot.com/2008/02/more-british-torture-in-iraq.html
uppingtheanti.org/node/513
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3675215.stm
You should clear your head, i dont defend a dictatorship, never did. Stop to victimized.
The fact is, Argentina does discriminate against the Islanders, in the past and today. Does Argentina hate the Islanders? I don't know, but Argentina certainly behaves as if it does. Does Argentina treat them badly? Yes, of course. Argentina does not let a single opportunity pass to trample all over their rights, lie and actively work against them; disrupting things like communications and their economy.
And, then on top of that you continue to defend the indefensible. Bill and David were expelled, but that's OK because no-one was killed or tortured.
My head is very clear thank you very much, and I have no idea how I would even start victimizing myself?
Ah I see you're as careful as ever in selecting whatever nonsense re-inforces your prejudices. I would suggest you indulge in a little more due dilligence in your research. The torture allegations and pictures you refer to were actually faked. Quite a scandal at the time, they were faked by some soldiers in the UK to sell to gullible reporters who were offering big cash sums for any evidence of British inappropriate behaviour. The editor, Piers Morgan, ended up with egg on his face after they were exposed as fakes - after splasing the big headlines you referred to. So I don't actually need to deny anything.
As to the rest, I don't think I need to add anything, J.A. Roberts effectively rebutted your usual diatribes. You were the one defending the indefensible - again.
cheers.
Believing all our government tells us to believe? Actually, if you took some time to research it, you would know that all the major UK newspapers - of all political persuasions - have always challenged the British Government about “what they tell us to believe”. I can ever see the Argentine press doing that.
Anyway, the “”Malvinas Argentinas“ lobby in Argentina have been buying into ”what the government tells them to believe” for decades.
And the British press reports what they want, certainly it bears no relation to what the British Government would like. You really shouldn't judge others by your own standards or the standards of Argentina's friend Senor Chavez. I'm glad to see that other members of Mercosur stood up and stopped those ridiculous restrictions on press freedom he was so keen on. Nice to see Chile, Uruguay and Brazil opposed them. What was Argentina's position?
Can we kindly take this argument somewhere else and leave posts to be about Neil Armstrong, I think he deserves more than that!
Hope you have an amazing cruise Mr Armstrong and enjoy yourself immensly.
You're indeed correct but never underestimate our Argentine friends ability to make a mountain out of a mole hill on any subject related to the Falklands.
Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!