Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin

Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin
NASA · Public domain · source
Name	Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin
Caption	Aldrin in 1969
Birth name	Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr.
Birth date	20 January 1930
Birth place	Glen Ridge, New Jersey, U.S.
Occupation	Astronaut, fighter pilot, engineer
Spouse	Joan Archer (m. 1954; div. 1974), Beverly Van Zile (m. 1975; div. 1978), Lois Driggs Cannon (m. 1988; div. 2012)
Alma mater	United States Military Academy (BS), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (ScD)
Awards	Presidential Medal of Freedom, Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, NASA Distinguished Service Medal, Congressional Gold Medal

Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin is an American former astronaut, Air Force officer, and engineer who, as the lunar module pilot for Apollo 11, became the second person to walk on the Moon in July 1969. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he earned a doctorate in astronautics, his pioneering work on orbital rendezvous techniques was critical to the success of the Apollo program. Following his historic mission with Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins, Aldrin has remained a prominent global advocate for space exploration and STEM education.

Early life and education

Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr. was born on January 20, 1930, in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, to Edwin Eugene Aldrin Sr., a U.S. Army Air Corps officer, and Marion Moon. He earned the nickname "Buzz" as a child, a shortened form of "Buzzer" used by his sister, which he later adopted legally. After graduating from Montclair High School in New Jersey, he attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating third in his class in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering.

Military career

Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force, Aldrin completed flight training at Bryan Air Force Base in Texas and Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. He flew 66 combat missions during the Korean War as a fighter pilot with the 51st Fighter Wing, piloting the F-86 Sabre and shooting down two MiG-15 aircraft. After the war, he served as an aerial gunnery instructor at Nellis Air Force Base and later as an aide to the dean of faculty at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado.

NASA career and Apollo 11

Selected by NASA as part of Astronaut Group 3 in 1963, Aldrin's expertise in orbital mechanics, honed during his Doctor of Science studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, proved invaluable. His doctoral thesis on "Line-of-Sight Guidance Techniques for Manned Orbital Rendezvous" directly informed Gemini program procedures. He served as pilot on the Gemini 12 mission in 1966, successfully performing a record-setting spacewalk and proving critical techniques for extravehicular activity. In 1969, as lunar module pilot for Apollo 11, Aldrin followed commander Neil Armstrong onto the lunar surface on July 20, spending over two hours outside the Lunar Module Eagle. He conducted experiments, including deploying the Early Apollo Scientific Experiment Package, and took iconic photographs, including one of his own footprint and an image of Armstrong beside the United States flag.

Post-NASA activities and advocacy

After leaving NASA and retiring from the United States Air Force with the rank of Colonel in 1972, Aldrin authored several books, including the autobiographies Return to Earth and Magnificent Desolation. He has been a tireless proponent of a sustained human presence on Mars, developing the "Aldrin cycler" concept for efficient travel between Earth and the Red Planet. He founded the nonprofit ShareSpace Foundation to promote science education and has served on the board of the National Space Society. Aldrin has also been a frequent commentator for CNN and other media on space policy, often advocating for missions beyond the International Space Station.

Personal life

Aldrin has been married three times: to Joan Archer (1954–1974), with whom he had three children, Janice, Andrew, and James; to Beverly Van Zile (1975–1978); and to Lois Driggs Cannon (1988–2012). He has been open about his struggles with clinical depression and alcoholism following his return from the Moon, detailing these challenges in his writings and public appearances. An avid scuba diver, he has participated in expeditions with the U.S. Navy SEALs and remains an active public figure, making appearances at events like the Super Bowl and on television shows such as The Big Bang Theory.

Awards, honors, and legacy

Aldrin's numerous accolades include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded by President Richard Nixon, the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. In 2011, he received the Congressional Gold Medal alongside his Apollo 11 crewmates. He has been inducted into several halls of fame, including the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame and the International Space Hall of Fame. His legacy is cemented by his status as a lunar pioneer; features like the Aldrin crater on the Moon and an asteroid, 6470 Aldrin, bear his name. His advocacy continues to shape discourse on the future of human spaceflight.

Category:American astronauts Category:Apollo program astronauts Category:United States Air Force officers Category:Lunar explorers Category:1930 births Category:Living people