Buzz Aldrin is a famous former American astronaut who is also an engineer and fighter pilot who was the second man to set foot on the moon after Neil Armstrong, the first, and mission commander of this project. Buzz made three spacewalks as an astronaut.
Early life
Buzz Aldrin was born Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr. on January 20, 1930. Buzz was born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, in the United States of America. He is the son of his father, Edwin Eugene Aldrin Sr., who was an Army aviator during World War I, and his mother, Marion Aldrin, who lived in the Montclair neighborhood. He has two sisters named Madeleine and Fay-Ann.
As a student, Buzz attended Montclair High School, then attended Severn School in 1946 and entered West Point in 1947. Buzz graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from the United States Military Academy on June 5, 1951, where he placed third in his class. He then attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating in 1963.
Buzz Aldrin career
In 1962, Buzz’s application to be an astronaut was rejected because he was not a test pilot, whereupon NASA announced another selection round on May 15, 1963 and Buzz had accumulated 2500 flight hours, 2200 of which were in jets and as a result he was one of the fourteen members serving as members selected by NASA’s Astronaut Group 3, which was announced on October 18, 1963. After that, Jim Lovell and Buzz were selected as the backup crew for Project Gemini 10, where he played the role of the pilot, but due to a plane crash that caused the death of the main crew member, they became the main crew on June 17, 1966, with Gordon Cooper and Gene Cernan appointed.
Fame
On November 11, 1966, Gemini 12 was launched from Launch Complex 19 at Cape Canaveral, and its primary mission was to rendezvous with the target vehicle. Buzz used a sextant and a rendezvous chart that helped give Lovell the right information. Gemini 12 reached the fourth docking with an Agena target vehicle. Buzz and Lovell were assigned to an Apollo program with Commander Neil Armstrong, where Lovell was the command module pilot and Buzz was the lunar module pilot.
Due to the delay in the manufacture and design of the Lunar Module, the Apollo 8 and Apollo 9 crews were swapped, and Neil Armstrong became the commander of Apollo 11. After the success of Apollo 11, which saw Buzz taking pictures and exploring the moon, he was busy making donations, Speeches, and public appearances, after which he accompanied Soviet cosmonauts on their tour of NASA space centers in 1970.
Buzz Aldrin Biography | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Buzz Aldrin |
| date of birth | January 20, 1930 |
| Age | 95 years |
| place of birth | Glen Ridge, NJ, USA |
| nationality | American |
| job | Engineer and former astronaut, and fighter pilot |
| religion | Christianity |
| sun sign | Aquarius |
Physical Statistics | |
| height | in feet inches – 5′ 10” – in centimeters – 178 cm |
| Weight | in kilograms – 71kg – in pounds – 156 pounds |
| Hair color | Gray |
| eye color | blue |
| body type | Slim |
Buzz Aldrin family | |
| father | Edwin Eugene Aldrin Sr. |
| mother | Marion Aldrin |
| sister | Two (Fay Ann & Madeleine Aldrin_ |
| Brothers | – |
Qualification/Education | |
| school | Montclair High School |
| University | United States Military Academy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
relationship status | |
| marital status | – |
| Who is Buzz Aldrin’s wife? | Joan Archer (m. 1954; div. 1974), Beverly Van Zile (m. 1975; div. 1978), Lois Driggs Cannon (m. 1988; div. 2012), Anca Faur (m. 2023; died 2025) |
| children | Three (Janice, Andrew & James Aldrin) |
Personal life
The famous astronaut was married to Joan Archer in 1954, but they separated in 1974, after which he married his second wife, Beverly Van Zile, in 1975. He divorced his second wife in 1978 and married Lois Driggs Cannon in 1988, but their marriage collapsed in 2012. On May 14, 2021, he posted a picture with Anca Faur with a caption wishing her a happy birthday. Buzz has three children.
Buzz Aldrin net worth
A former astronaut, Buzz has an estimated net worth of $14 million even after retiring in 1971. Buzz, after his retirement, is still paid for risking his life in the name of space and exploration, including base salary, room and board, and even airfare.
Facts About Buzz Aldrin
- Buzz Aldrin is believed to be the first person to urinate on the moon.
- He was a Boy Scout who achieved the rank of Tenderfoot Scout.
- He was also a member of the field and track teams at school.
- Buzz is also known as Dr. Rendezvous.
- Buzz has won many awards, such as the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross Medal, Air Medal, President’s Medal of Freedom.
- As an astronaut, Buzz has won medals such as the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and NASA’s Exceptional Service Medal.
- During his NASA career, Buzz spent 289 hours and 53 minutes in space, including 7 hours and 52 minutes in EVA.