Buzz Aldrin
From ArticleWorld
Colonel Edwin Eugene "Buzz" Aldrin, Jr. Ph.D is a retired United States Air Force colonel, an American pilot, and a NASA astronaut. He is best known as the second man to walk on the moon.
Contents |
Education
Aldrin was born on January 20,1930, in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. Aldrin was a very good student and holds many degrees from various schools. Aldrin received a bachelor of science degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He also holds a doctorate of science degree in astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge. He also holds honorary degrees from six other colleges and universities.
Flying Career
Aldrin was a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force and flew 66 combat missions in the Korean War as a fighter pilot. He went on to serve as an aerial gunnery instructor at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada and was later transferred to Air Force Space Systems Division in Los Angeles, and once again to Edwards Air Force Base. After having served 21 years in the U.S. Air Force, Aldrin as a Colonel in 1972.
Astronaut Career
Aldrin was selected as an astronaut for NASA in 1963. He played a large role in the Gemini missions and finally got his chance to go on a mission on Gemini 12 as the pilot. Aldrin set a record for extravehicular activity (EVA) during this mission for spending 5 ½ hours outside of the spacecraft. Aldrin accompanied Neil Armstrong to the moon on Apollo 11 in July, 1969, and was the second person to ever step foot on the surface of the moon. Aldrin retired from NASA in 1971, after logging 289 hours and 53 minutes in space. Nearly eight of those hours were spent outside the spacecraft in EVA.
Post Career
After retiring from NASA, Aldrin went through a stage of depression and struggled with alcoholism. He published his autobiography, Return to Earth, telling about the difficulties he faced since retiring. In 1992, Aldrin produced Race into Space, a computer game, and co-wrote Encounter with Tiber and The Return. Aldrin has made several TV appearances: his voice appears in "Deep Space Homer", The Simpsons, and in an interview in a British comedy series. He even has a TV star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Edwin Aldrin has now officially changed his name to Buzz and is currently married with two sons and one daughter.