Buzz Aldrin

Buzz Aldrin was an American astronaut and the second person to walk on the moon. He was the lunar module pilot of the Apollo 11 mission.

Early Life and Education

Aldrin was born in 1930 in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. His father was an aviation pioneer and the family was interested in the flying.

He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1951. He served as a fighter pilot in the Korean War.

He took a doctorate in astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1963. His thesis was on the orbital rendezvous.

The Gemini and Apollo Programmes

Aldrin was selected as an astronaut in 1963. He flew on the Gemini 12 mission in 1966 and performed the spacewalks.

He developed the techniques for the underwater training of the astronauts. The method became a standard part of the preparation.

He was the lunar module pilot of the Apollo 11 mission. He landed on the moon with Armstrong and followed him onto the surface.

He described the lunar landscape as the magnificent desolation. He and Armstrong deployed the scientific experiments and collected the samples.

The Later Career

Aldrin returned to the earth and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He suffered from the depression after the mission.

He retired from NASA and the air force in 1972. He worked on the design of the space systems and the reusable launch vehicles.

He wrote the books on the space exploration and the memoirs. His book Magnificent Desolation describes his life after the moon landing.

He has advocated for the human exploration of Mars. He developed the concept of the Mars cycler for the repeated trips.

The Legacy

Aldrin is remembered as the second person to walk on the moon. He is the last surviving member of the Apollo 11 crew.

He received the honours from many countries and the institutions. He is a member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

He has appeared in the popular culture and the television programmes. He continues to promote the space exploration.

The Apollo 11 mission is regarded as one of the greatest achievements of the human history. Aldrin is one of the most famous of the astronauts.

The Gemini 12 Mission

Aldrin flew on the Gemini 12 mission in 1966. He performed three spacewalks and set the record for the extravehicular activity.

He developed the techniques for the underwater training. The method prepared the astronauts for the work outside the spacecraft.

He was the lunar module pilot of the Apollo 11 mission. He landed on the moon with Armstrong and followed him onto the surface.

The Later Advocacy

Aldrin retired from NASA and the air force in 1972. He worked on the design of the space systems and the launch vehicles.

He has advocated for the human exploration of Mars. He developed the concept of the Mars cycler for the repeated trips.

He wrote the books on the space exploration and the memoirs. He remains an active promoter of the space programme.

The Moon Landing

Aldrin was the lunar module pilot of the Apollo 11 mission. He landed on the moon with Armstrong in 1969.

He followed Armstrong onto the surface and described the magnificent desolation. He deployed the scientific experiments and collected the samples.

The crew returned to the earth and were quarantined for three weeks. The mission was a success and achieved the goal set by President Kennedy.

The Legacy and the Memory

Aldrin is remembered as the second person to walk on the moon. He is the last surviving member of the Apollo 11 crew.

He received the honours from many countries. He is a member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

He continues to promote the space exploration. He is one of the most famous of the astronauts.

The Early Career

Aldrin graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. He served as a fighter pilot in the Korean War.

He took a doctorate in astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His thesis was on the orbital rendezvous.

He developed the techniques for the underwater training. The method became a standard part of the preparation.

The Personal Life

Aldrin married three times and had several children. He suffered from the depression and the alcoholism after the moon landing.

He has written the books on the space exploration and the memoirs. He has appeared in the popular culture and the television.

He continues to promote the space exploration and the human settlement of Mars. He is one of the most famous and the most active of the astronauts. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal for his contribution to the space programme.

See also

• Apollo 11
• Moon landing
• Gemini 12
• Space exploration