Editing Apollo 11 (section)

=== First-step decision ===
During the first press conference after the Apollo 11 crew was announced, the first question was, "Which one of you gentlemen will be the first man to step onto the lunar surface?"{{sfn|Chaikin|1994|p=148}}{{sfn|Hansen|2005|p=360}} Slayton told the reporter it had not been decided, and Armstrong added that it was "not based on individual desire".{{sfn|Chaikin|1994|p=148}}

One of the first versions of the egress checklist had the lunar module pilot exit the spacecraft before the commander, which matched what had been done on Gemini missions,{{sfn|Collins|2001|p=347}} where the commander had never performed the spacewalk.{{sfn|Aldrin|Abraham|2016|pp=57–58}} Reporters wrote in early 1969 that Aldrin would be the first man to walk on the Moon, and Associate Administrator [[George Mueller (NASA)|George Mueller]] told reporters he would be first as well. Aldrin heard that Armstrong would be the first because Armstrong was a civilian, which made Aldrin livid. Aldrin attempted to persuade other lunar module pilots he should be first, but they responded cynically about what they perceived as a lobbying campaign. Attempting to stem interdepartmental conflict, Slayton told Aldrin that Armstrong would be first since he was the commander. The decision was announced in a press conference on April 14, 1969.{{sfn|Hansen|2005|pp=363–365}}

For decades, Aldrin believed the final decision was largely driven by the lunar module's hatch location. Because the astronauts had their spacesuits on and the spacecraft was so small, maneuvering to exit the spacecraft was difficult. The crew tried a simulation in which Aldrin left the spacecraft first, but he damaged the simulator while attempting to egress. While this was enough for mission planners to make their decision, Aldrin and Armstrong were left in the dark on the decision until late spring.{{sfn|Chaikin|1994|p=149}} Slayton told Armstrong the plan was to have him leave the spacecraft first, if he agreed. Armstrong said, "Yes, that's the way to do it."{{sfn|Chaikin|1994|p=150}}

The media accused Armstrong of exercising his commander's prerogative to exit the spacecraft first.{{sfn|Schefter|1999|p=281}} [[Chris Kraft]] revealed in his 2001 autobiography that a meeting occurred between Gilruth, Slayton, Low, and himself to make sure Aldrin would not be the first to walk on the Moon. They argued that the first person to walk on the Moon should be like [[Charles Lindbergh]], a calm and quiet person. They made the decision to change the flight plan so the commander was the first to egress from the spacecraft.{{sfn|Hansen|2005|pp=371–372}}