Forty-three years on, the feat of the United States space programme, the Apollo 11 mission and Neil Armstrong himself remains astounding. That a human being, on July 20, 1969, could climb from the lunar landing craft, the Eagle, and walk on the moon will resonate as long as history is written. Just imagine Armstrong, as the Eagle comes in to land, working out calculations by hand. And then, that we not only left our planet but set foot on that glowing orb in the night sky.
It was indeed, in Armstrong's immortal words, "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind".
Armstrong, who died at the weekend aged 82, was quiet, dignified and modest. He turned to teaching rather than cashing in on fame, and he has earned everlasting respect. Neil Armstrong fulfilled our human need for heroes.
In contrast, although champions can have failings because of their very humanity, Lance Armstrong's reputation has come crashing down like a cyclist taking a tumble in the mountains of France. He, and perhaps cycling along with him, seems to have been living a monstrous lie. The evidence has been building, and it seems Armstrong's denials, legal challenges and bluster should no longer be given any credence.
Sure, he never tested positive.
But neither did sprinter Marion Jones, who later admitted taking drugs. Sure, he maintains his innocence even after Thursday when he gave up the fight against the United States Anti-Doping Agency. But so do many other cheats. Sporting history is littered with phoney righteous denials.
This appears to be the action of a man who had exhausted his options, who moved into damage control, who thought it better to quit before being exposed by what is said to be more than a dozen witnesses and a mountain of evidence. It is telling that the "iron-willed" man who lived by the credo of never being a quitter did just that.
His diehard supporters will, despite ever-growing substantiation and testimony, continue in the faith. Others will claim he just took a few shortcuts on the road to success, just as others in the sport did. If this view is taken, then the fight against drugs in sports might as well be abandoned. Bring on the chemists.
Especially sad is the stain not just on Armstrong but on cycling.
Some commentators are struck by the length of the fight and point to collusion and widespread corruption. It seems to many that it was impossible to win without being doped, and the life of some clean cyclists who refused to join in were made miserable. A magnificent sporting spectacle is severely tarnished.
The Anti-Doping Agency deserves credit for sticking to its position against public and private pressure. Because of Armstrong's standing as an American superstar, because of his story and his charitable works and because he was determined to fight - until late last week - with all his resources and persuasion, this could have been a case easier to have let slip.
Idealism in a world of greed and graft, but also service and standards, is precious. The example of heroes like Nelson Mandela, Sir Edmund Hillary or Neil Armstrong help foster hopes, aspirations and principles that make this a better place. While troubles in Lance Armstrong's personal life, like those that befell Tiger Woods, may have damaged his reputation, they would have left his sporting triumphs and his place in sporting history intact. But, whatever the achievements of his Livestrong Foundation, Armstrong has now dealt another big blow to the integrity of cycling - and to sport.
