Neil served as a naval aviator from 1949 to 1952. After that, Armstrong joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics in 1955. The next 17 years, he was an engineer, test pilot, astronaut and administrator for NACA and its successor agency, NASA. He was also a project pilot on many experimental high speed aircraft.
Armstrong transferred to astronaut status in 1962. He was assigned as command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission. He was also the spacecraft commander for Apollo 11. Armstrong subsequently held the position of Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics, NASA Headquarters, Washington, D.C. He was Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinnati between 1971-1979.
below: Neil Armstrong in his official Apollo 11 portrait.