On July 20, 1969, Buzz and Neil Armstrong made their historic Apollo 11 moonwalk, becoming the first two humans to set foot on another world. An estimated 600 million people – at that time, the world's largest television audience in history – witnessed this unprecedented heroic endeavor.
Since retiring from NASA and the U.S. Air Force, Col. Aldrin is a Global Statesman for Space and has remained a tireless advocate for human space exploration.
Current Work:
Buzz's vision finally has come to past with the creation of the supreme think-tank, Human SpaceFlight Institute which will fully launch later in the year.
Previous Experience:
NASA: Selected by NASA in 1963 into the third group of astronauts, Aldrin was the first with a doctorate and became known as “Dr. Rendezvous.†The docking and rendezvous techniques he devised for spacecraft in Earth and lunar orbit became critical to the success of the Gemini and Apollo programs, and are still used today. He pioneered underwater training techniques to simulate spacewalking. In 1966 on the Gemini 12 orbital mission, Buzz performed the world's first successful spacewalk – extra-vehicular activity (EVA), and set a new EVA record of 5 1/2 hours. During that mission, he also took the first selfie' in space.
Military: Aldrin was a member of the United States Air Force where he flew F86 Sabre Jets in 66 combat missions in Korea, shot down two MIG-15's, and was decorated with the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Education: Buzz graduated one year early from Montclair High School and he attended the US Military Academy at West Point, graduating third in his class with a BS in mechanical engineering. He then earned his Doctorate of Science in Astronautics at MIT and wrote his thesis on Manned Orbital Rendezvous.
Awards & Recognition: Upon returning from the moon, Buzz was decorated with the Presidential Medal of Freedom and numerous awards all over the world. Named after Buzz are Asteroid “6470 Aldrin†and the “Aldrin Crater†on the moon. In 2011 along with his Apollo 11 crewmates Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins, he received the Congressional Gold Medal. Most recently, he was named a member of the Space Advisory Committee by the Vice President of the United States.
Author: Buzz is the author of 9 books, most recently his children's book, Welcome to Mars: Making a Home on the Red Planet and his newest NY Times and Washington Post Bestseller, “No Dream Is Too High: Life Lessons from a Man Who Walked on the Moonâ€. Both published by National Geographic.
Talking Points
No Dream is Too High: Achieving the Impossible
Sharing memories and insights from his momentous walk on the moon and his illustrious career, Dr. Aldrin shows audiences that no dream is too high and how teamwork and leadership can achieve the impossible!
No Dream is Too High: Achieving the Impossible
Buzz Aldrin's Vision for the Future
Dr. Aldrin takes audiences on a journey into the future with his vision of a space-faring world where citizen explorers� take space tours beyond lower-earth orbit and the Aldrin Mars Cycler� space ship makes frequent stops for astronaut explorers on Mars.
Buzz Aldrin's Vision for the Future
Reach for the Stars
Sharing memories and insights from his momentous walk on the moon and his illustrious career, Dr. Aldrin encourages audiences to reach for the stars� in life's endeavors.
Reach for the Stars
Video
Buzz Aldrin - 50th Anniversary of Apollo XI
On July 20, 1969, Buzz and Neil Armstrong made their historic Apollo 11 moonwalk, becoming the first two humans to set foot on another world. An estimated 600 million people - at that time, the world's largest television audience in history - witnessed this unprecedented heroic endeavor. Since retiring from NASA and the U.S. Air Force, Col. Aldrin is a Global Statesman for Space and has remained a tireless advocate for human space exploration.
