The Smithsonian Institution officials are ecstatic after reaching a Kickstarter campaign goal in a mere five days. The campaign was launched last week with the aim of conserving and displaying the space suit used by astronaut Neil Armstrong when he created history by being the first human to walk on the surface of the Moon.

Initial target of the Smithsonian was to raise $500,000 so as to help conserve, display and digitize the suit by the time Apollo 11 moon landing completes its 50th anniversary in July 20, 2019. However, the Smithsonian not only completed its target, but surpassed it with more than $540,000 at its disposal as of Sunday night. What is really amazing is the fact that 23 days still remain before the fundraising campaign comes to end.

Armstrong was the first human to land on Moon at 10:56 p. m. ET July 21, 1969. The suit he used during the Moon landing had been put into public display in the National Air and Space Museum, which was opened in 1976 on the National Mall. However, the suit was removed from the display in 2006 to prevent further damage.

Smithsonian decided to increase the goal to $700,000 so that Alan Shepard's spacesuit could be conserved, digitized and displayed. He used that spacesuit during the first American space flight in 1961.

The success of the campaign has ensured that Armstrong's spacesuit will not remain in storage to collect dust.