In Re Grammar, Roberts's Stance Is Crystal Clear

I have long been puzzled by a very famous quote. Now Judge Roberts has clarified:

"It is my recollection," Mr. Roberts wrote, "that he actually said 'one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind,' but the 'a' was somewhat garbled in transmission. Without the 'a,' the phrase makes no sense."

Comments

[Gordon Paynter]

It's my recollection that Neil Armstrong meant to say "for a man", but misspoke at the crucial moment.

This explanation is also offered at Wikipedia, which has a copy of the original recording:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_Armstrong

It seems clear that Armstrong did not actually say the missing "a".