BUZZ ALDRIN'S BIOGRAPHY

Buzz Aldrin

In October 1963, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) selected Buzz as one of the early astronauts. In November 1966, he established a new record for Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) in space on the Gemini XII orbital flight mission. He has logged 4,500 hours of flying time, 290 of which were in space, including eight hours of EVA.

As Backup Command Module Pilot for Apollo VIII, man's first flight around the moon, Buzz significantly improved operational techniques for astronautical navigation star display. July 20, 1969 marked Buzz and Neil Armstrong's historic Apollo XI moon walk, thus becoming the first two humans to set foot on another world. This unprecedented heroic endeavor was witnessed by the largest worldwide television audience in history.

After returning from the moon, Buzz embarked on an international goodwill tour. He was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor among more than 50 other distinguished awards and medals from the United States and numerous other countries.

Since retiring from NASA, the Air Force, and his position as Commander of the Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, Buzz has remained at the forefront of efforts to ensure a continued leading role for America in manned space exploration. To advance his lifelong commitment to venturing outward in space, he 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, Buzz received a patent for the permanent space station he designed.

Buzz 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. He has just completed a science fiction novel, "Encounter with Tiber", which will be available in July 1996.

Buzz currently participates in many space organizations worldwide, including the National Space Society, to develop future space programs and space education. He is also endorsing two educational computer software products for children. Under Starcraft Enterprises -- the name of his private space endeavors -- Buzz lectures and travels throughout the world to pursue and discuss his and others' latest concepts and ideas for exploring the universe.

He was born in Montclair, New Jersey on January 20, 1930 and graduated with honors in 1951 from West Point. He earned his doctorate in astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), specializing in manned space rendezvous. The techniques he devised were used on all NASA missions, including the first space docking with the Russian Cosmonauts.

Buzz married Lois Driggs Cannon in 1988 and has a combined family of six grown children and one grandson.


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