John F. Kennedy
Famous Military Veterans
Marilyn Monroe
Anthony Weiner
My Ghost Story
I Survived
Babe Ruth
Johnny Cash
Georgia O'Keefe
I Survived
1 photo
Quick Facts
- NAME: Buzz Aldrin
- OCCUPATION: Astronaut
- BIRTH DATE: January 20, 1930 (Age: 83)
- Did You Know?: Aldrin once punched a man in the face for claiming that the Moon landings weren't fabricated.
- Did You Know?: Aldrin's mother's maiden name was Moon.
- EDUCATION: Montclair High School, West Point Military Academy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Montclair, New Jersey
- Originally: Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr.
- AKA: Buzz Aldrin
- AKA: Edwin Aldrin Jr.
- AKA: Edwin Aldrin
- Full Name: Buzz Eugene Aldrin
- ZODIAC SIGN: Aquarius
Best Known For
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin was one of the first people to walk on the moon. He and flight commander Neil Armstrong made the Apollo 11 moonwalk in 1969.
Videos see all videos
-
-
Neil Armstrong - The 40th Anniversary of the Walk on the Moon (4:31)
-
Buzz Aldrin - Revolution Generation
Buzz Aldrin talks to Dr. Steve Gillan about why he became an astronaut, his schooling and how president Kennedy's speech about putting a man on the moon inspired him.
Neil Armstrong - The 40th Anniversary of the Walk on the Moon
40 years after his first walk on the moon, Neil Armstrong was honored, along with fellow Apollo 11 astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins, by President Barack Obama at the White House. (Video courtesy of the White House)
Neil Armstrong - Mini Biography
Neil Armstrong joined the organization that would become NASA in 1962 and was command pilot for his first mission, Gemini VIII, in 1966. He was spacecraft commander for Apollo 11 and the first man to walk on the moon.
Quiz
Think you know about Biography?
Answer questions and see how you rank against other players.
Play NowBuzz Aldrin. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 04:17, May 25, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/buzz-aldrin-9179894.
Buzz Aldrin. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/buzz-aldrin-9179894 [Accessed 25 May 2013].
"Buzz Aldrin." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 25 2013, 04:17 http://www.biography.com/people/buzz-aldrin-9179894.
"Buzz Aldrin," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/buzz-aldrin-9179894 [accessed May 25, 2013].
"Buzz Aldrin," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/buzz-aldrin-9179894 (accessed May 25, 2013).
Buzz Aldrin [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 25] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/buzz-aldrin-9179894.
Buzz Aldrin, http://www.biography.com/people/buzz-aldrin-9179894 (last visited May 25, 2013).
Buzz Aldrin. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/buzz-aldrin-9179894. Accessed May 25, 2013.
He also pioneered underwater training techniques, to simulate flight in zero gravity.
In 1966, Aldrin and astronaut Jim Lovell were assigned to the Gemini 12 crew. During their November 11 to November 15, 1966, space flight, Aldrin made a five-hour spacewalk—the longest and most successful spacewalk ever done up to that time. He also used his rendezvous abilities to manually recalculate all the docking maneuvers on the flight, after the on-board radar failed.
After Gemini 12,
Aldrin was assigned to the back-up crew of Apollo 8 along with Neil Armstrong and Harrison "Jack" Schmitt. On July 20, 1969, Buzz, along with flight commander Neil Armstrong, made the historic Apollo 11 moonwalk, becoming the first two humans to set foot on another planet. They spent a total of 21 hours on the moon's surface, and returned with 46 pounds of moon rocks. The walk, which was televised, drew an estimated 600 million people to watch, becoming the world's largest television audience in history.
Upon their safe return to Earth, Buzz was decorated with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, followed by a 45-day international goodwill tour. Among their distinguished honors and medals, Buzz and his Apollo 11 crew also have four stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in California.
Later Career
On March 1972, after 21 years of service, Aldrin retired from active duty and returned to the Air Force in a managerial role. He later admitted in his 1973 autobiography, Return to Earth, that he struggled with depression and alcoholism following his years with NASA. After struggling with divorce and maintaining sobriety, Aldrin turned to studying advancements in space technology. He devised a spacecraft system for missions to Mars known as the "Aldrin Mars Cycler," and has received three US patents for his schematics of a modular space station, Starbooster reusable rockets, and multi-crew modules. He also founded ShareSpace Foundation, a nonprofit devoted to advancing space education, exploration and affordable space flight experiences.
Aldrin has also written several more books. In addition to his autobiography, Return to Earth, the astronaut penned Magnificient Desolation, a memoir that hit bookshelves in 2009—just in time for the 40th anniversary of his historic moon landing. He has also written several children's books, including Reaching for the Moon and Look to the Stars; two science fiction novels, The Return and Encounter with Tiber; and the historical documentary, Men from Earth.
Recent Years
Now in his 80s, Aldrin still maintains a busy schedule. He gives lectures and makes numerous appearances. Aldrin competed on Dancing with the Stars in 2010, showing the world that the senior astronaut still has some impressive moves. He has also had guest spots on such shows as 30 Rock, and collaborated with Snoop Dogg to create the song "Rocket Experience" to promote space exploration to young people.
Personal Life
Aldrin has been married three times. His first wife was actress Joan Archer, followed by Beverly Zile. He married his third wife, Lois Driggs Cannon, on Valentine's Day in 1988. The couple announced plans to divorce in 2011.
© 2013 A+E Networks. All rights reserved.
profile name: Buzz Aldrin profile occupation:
Your Connections
Sign in with Facebook to see how you and your friends are connected to famous icons.
Profile Connections
Included In These Groups
-
Famous Military Veterans
View groupAmerica wouldn't be what it is today without Hollywood, and it certainly wouldn't be the same without its armed forces. Military veterans make the ultimate contribution to society—they put their lives on the line for their country. Since the nation's founding, the dedication and bravery of soldiers has been the a key pillar on which the United States stands. From Revolutionary War heroes to Vietnam veterans, here's a look at famous military veterans.
Famous Military Veterans 211 people in this group
-
Famous Lefties
View groupLeft-handed people are a rare breed—only 10 percent of the general population is a lefty. There isn't a definite scientific explanation of why people are left-handed, and although it might be an inconvenience for some, it's actually an advantage in sports. Legendary lefty athletes include baseball player Babe Ruth and basketball star Larry Bird. They're in good company with a wide variety of famous faces from President Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey to composer Wolfgang Mozart and entrepreneur Bill Gates.
Famous Lefties 91 people in this group
-
Cast of Dancing with the Stars
View groupThe famous dance-competition show Dancing with the Stars has seen more than a dozen seasons and a gamut of stars, including Apolo Anton Ohno, Kirstie Alley, Joey Fatone, Jennifer Grey, David Hasselhoff, Buzz Aldrin, Brandy, Wynonna Judd, Dorothy Hamill, D.L. Hughley and Aly Raisman. Learn more about the show's contestants, who, for a period, swapped their skills as athletes, actors, musicians, comedians, TV personalities and politicians for a chance to show off their footwork on national TV.
Cast of Dancing with the Stars 92 people in this group
