Buzz Aldrin

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Lore & Background

Born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Aldrin graduated third in the class of 1951 from the United States Military Academy at West Point with a degree in mechanical engineering. He was commissioned into the United States Air Force and served as a jet fighter pilot during the Korean War, flying 66 combat missions and shooting down two MiG-15 fighter jets. After earning a Doctor of Science degree in astronautics from MIT, he was selected as a member of NASA's Astronaut Group 3, making him the first astronaut with a doctoral degree. His doctoral thesis, *Line-of-Sight Guidance Techniques for Manned Orbital Rendezvous*, earned him the nickname "Dr. Rendezvous" from fellow astronauts. His first space flight was in 1966 on Gemini 12, during which he spent over five hours on a single extravehicular activity. Three years later, Aldrin set foot on the Moon at 03:15:16 on July 21, 1969 (UTC), nineteen minutes after Armstrong first touched the surface, while command module pilot Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit. A Presbyterian elder, Aldrin became the first person to hold a religious ceremony on the Moon, when he privately took communion, which was the first food and liquid to be consumed there.

In Their Own Story

After leaving NASA in 1971, Aldrin became Commandant of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School. He retired from the Air Force in 1972 after 21 years of service. His autobiographies *Return to Earth* (1973) and *Magnificent Desolation* (2009) recount his struggles with clinical depression and alcoholism in the years after leaving NASA. Aldrin continues to advocate for space exploration, particularly a human mission to Mars. He developed the Aldrin cycler, a special spacecraft trajectory that makes travel to Mars more efficient in terms of time and propellant. He has been accorded numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969.

Reader's Guide

Buzz Aldrin was born Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr. on January 20, 1930, at Mountainside Hospital in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. His nickname, which became his legal first name in 1988, arose from his sister Fay's mispronouncing "brother" as "buzzer," then shortened to "Buzz." He was a Boy Scout, achieving the rank of Tenderfoot Scout. Aldrin did well in school, maintaining an A average, and played football as the starting center for Montclair High School's undefeated 1946 state champion team. He entered West Point in 1947, finishing first in his class his plebe year, and graduated third in the class of 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering. In the Air Force, he flew 66 combat missions in F-86 Sabres during the Korean War, shooting down two MiG-15 aircraft. His first aerial victory was on May 14, 1953, and his second on June 4, 1953. For his service, he was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses and three Air Medals. He earned a Sc.D. in astronautics from MIT in January 1963, and his doctoral thesis was dedicated to the crew members of the country's present and future manned space programs.

Did You Know?

• Aldrin's nickname 'Buzz' came from his sister Fay mispronouncing 'brother' as 'buzzer,' and it became his legal first name in 1988.
• He was the first astronaut with a doctoral degree, earning a Sc.D. in astronautics from MIT in 1963.
• Aldrin spent over five hours on extravehicular activity during the Gemini 12 mission in 1966.
• He became the first person to hold a religious ceremony on the Moon, privately taking communion on July 21, 1969.
• Aldrin developed the Aldrin cycler, a spacecraft trajectory designed to make travel to Mars more efficient.