| Buzz's
Story | Highlights & Achievements
| Publications Authored TV, Radio & Film Appearances | Newspaper & Magazine Interviews He was born Edwin Eugene ("Buzz") Aldrin on January 20, 1930 in Montclair, New Jersey. His parents were Marion Moon, the daughter of an Army Chaplain, and Edwin Eugene Aldrin, aviation pioneer, student of rocket developer Robert Goddard and aide to the immortal General Billy Mitchell. During his childhood, he read the works of authors such as H.G. Wells and became fascinated by the idea of visiting other worlds. His mother encouraged him and eventually studied astronautics. He was educated at West Point. He graduated with honors in 1951 and placed third in his class. After receiving his wings, he flew Sabre Jets in 66 combat missions in the Korean Conflict, shooting down two MIG-15's. He earned a Doctorate in Astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with his thesis on "Manned Space Rendezvous" in 1963. The techniques he devised were used on all NASA missions, including the first space docking with the Russian Cosmonauts. In October 1963, he was selected by NASA as one of the early astronauts. In November 1966, he established a new 5 hour record for Extra-Vehicular Activity in space on the Gemini XII orbital flight mission and performed one of the first successful space walks. He has logged 4500 hours of flying time, 290 of which were in space, including a record 8 hours of EVA (extravehicular activity). He served as Backup Command Module Pilot for Apollo VIII, man's first flight around the moon. He significantly improved operational techniques for astronautical navigation star display and piloted the first lunar module, the Eagle. Then on July 20, 1969, Dr. Aldrin and Neil Armstrong made their historic Apollo XI moon walk, thus becoming the first two humans to set foot on another world. This was witnessed by the largest worldwide television audience in history. They walked across the barren landscape for 2 hours and 14 minutes, while the television camera they had set up 50 feet from Eagle transmitted their steps, to enthrall audiences some 250,000 miles away. Overall, it was the second longest continuous live television coverage in history, running 31 hours. Upon returning from the moon, he embarked on an international goodwill tour. He was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor amongst over 50 other distinguished awards and medals from the United States and numerous other countries. During the Gemini and Apollo missions, he played a key role in developing rendezvous techniques for spacecraft, which earned him the nickname of "Dr. Rendezvous." It's a title that he still lives up to, as he noted in 1993, "I'm trying to contribute to Mars orbit trajectories and come up with better strategies for getting us to Mars." He believes that Mars will eventually become "humanity's first planetary home away from home" and is convinced that it will happen sometime in the 21st century. He feels that space tourism could be available by 2012. He also feels it is possible to get to Phobus, the Moon of Mars, by the year 2016 and to Mars itself by 2020. Since retiring from NASA, the Air Force, and his position as Commander of the Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, Dr. Aldrin has remained at the forefront of efforts to ensure a continued leading role for America in manned space exploration. Dr. Aldrin has created a master plan of evolving missions for sustained exploration utilizing his concept, "The Cycler," a spacecraft system which makes perpetual orbits between Earth and Mars. In 1993 received a patent for a permanent space station he designed. He authored an autobiography Return to Earth in 1974, and in 1989 wrote, Men from Earth, describing his trip to the moon and his unique perspective on America's future in Space. In 1996, he published his first science fiction novel, Encounter With Tiber (published by Warner Books), which is currently being made into a television mini-series by Paramount and ABC. In addition to making numerous television appearances, Dr. Aldrin often publishes articles and opinion editorials and gives interviews to international publications. He has endorsed and promoted a variety of products ranging from computers to automobiles. He has also endorsed two educational computer software products for children. He is internationally recognized as a dynamic and inspiring speaker. He draws upon his experience and insight with an ease of eloquence that motivates, entertains and captivates many a corporate gathering for Fortune 500 conglomerates, high tech companies, entertainment industry sponsors, and universities. On Valentine's Day 1988, Dr. Aldrin married Lois Driggs Cannon of Phoenix, Arizona. She is a Stanford graduate and an active community leader in Southern California where they now reside. Their combined family is comprised of six grown children and one grandson. When not lecturing on the latest concepts of space exploration, serving on advisory councils and boards or participating in government panels, Dr. Aldrin and his wife travel the world. Their leisure time is spent exploring the deep sea world of scuba diving and skiing the mountaintops of Sun Valley, Idaho. He recently participated in a two-mile, eleven-hour dive in the submersible Nautile to observe the recovery attempt of part of the Titanic hull. More recently, he ventured to the North Pole as part of journalistic/scientific expedition with Hugh Downs. Whether diving in the depths of the ocean or rocketing through space, Dr. Aldrin has spent his life breaking old boundaries so that future generations will know no limits. The Aldrin Planetarium, located at the South Florida Science Museum in West Palm Beach, Florida, boasts state-of-the-art laser light shows and presentations, as well as it's space science school classes. Also, he frequently supports and appears at the Aldrin Elementary School in Reston, Virginia. 1999 marks the 30th Anniversary of the Apollo XI moon landing and celebrated moon walk. Among the many events celebrating this year's historic anniversary, the first happened on New Year's Day itself, when Dr. Aldrin served as co-Grand Marshall of Pasadena's 1999 Tournament of Roses. During the week of July 16th through July 20th, NASA celebrated the anniversary at several events in Washington DC, the Kennedy Space Center, Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. Dr. Aldrin participates in many space organizations worldwide, including the National Space Society, in developing future space programs and space education. As Starcraft Enterprises, the name of his private space endeavors, Dr. Aldrin lectures and travels throughout the world to pursue ideas for exploring the universe. He is a leading voice in charting the course of future space efforts, chairing both the National Space Society and the ShareSpace Foundation, a non-profit foundation which is dedicated to the advancement of space tourism. Dr. Aldrin continues to actively lend his voice to the space community by servicing on space advisory councils, boards and government panels. He has done this with a rigorous and impassioned commitment, and with a belief in what the benefits of space exploration have to offer our earthly home - technologically as well as to inspire the human spirit. Because of this, he is known as a leading ambassador for space. Career Highlights Developed Space Rendezvous System Honors and Awards Air Force Command Pilot Astronaut Wings - 1952 University Degrees and Affiliations West Point - Bachelor of Science - Graduated 3rd in Class 1951 Clark University Department of Space Studies - Board Member Honorary Degrees Doctor of Science - Gustavus Adolphus College - 1967 "Return to Earth" - by Buzz Aldrin and Wayne Warga, Bantam
1974 Larry King Live - 1 hour interview
Discover Magazine
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