While at the NASA center that now bears his name, Armstrong was actively engaged in both piloting and engineering aspects of the X-15 hypersonic rocket plane program from its inception.

He completed the first flight in an X-15 aircraft after it was equipped with a new airflow-direction sensor in its nose, as well as the initial flight in another X-15 equipped with a self-adaptive flight control system.

Armstrong amassed a total of eight days and 14 hours in space during two space flights, including two hours and 48 minutes walking on the moon.

After leaving NASAs astronaut Corp that year, Armstrong served the agency as Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics at NASA Headquarters for two years.

From 1981 to 1999, he served on the