Buzz Aldrin - Space PioneerBuzz Aldrin is certainly one of the world’s most well-known astronauts. Following his Apollo 11 mission, he was not only celebrated in this country, but around the world.He was born Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Jr. The nickname Buzz came a few years later and stuck. He was born on January 20, 1930, in Montclair, New Jersey. Both of his parents had military backgrounds. His father, Edwin Eugene Aldrin, Sr., was a military officer and one of the pioneers of aviation. His mother, Marian Moon, grew up in a military family.
After Aldrin graduated from Montclair High School in 1946, he went on to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Here he studied mechanical engineering and graduated at the top of his class. He then joined the Air Force. After flying in 66 combat missions and earning several medals, including a Distinguished Flying Cross, he went back to school. This time he chose MIT where he earned a Doctorate of Science. A glimpse into his future career may be seen in his choice of a thesis: Manned Orbital Rendezvous. In 1963, he was accepted by NASA in the third round of astronauts. He earned a new nickname, Dr. Rendezvous, as he was the first NASA astronaut to hold a doctorate. His skills and knowledge proved invaluable to the American space program. Aldrin developed techniques that are still in use by NASA today. In 1966, during the Gemini 12 mission, he made history by becoming the first person to perform a successful spacewalk. This would not be the only time he made history. On July 20, 1969, Buzz Aldrin became the second man to walk on the moon. During this Apollo 11 mission, Aldrin and Armstrong spent a total of 21 hours performing various tests and collecting samples on the lunar surface. For this mission, Aldrin was awarded the Congressional Medal of Freedom, and celebrations took place all over the world. He is highly decorated and his honors include the Distinguished Flying Cross, NASA Distinguished Service Medal, NASA Space Flight Medal and the Harmon International Trophy. Although Aldrin is retired from the military and NASA, he remains an active voice in encouraging the United States to push to remain at the forefront of space exploration. Since his retirement he has also become an author. His works include the children’s books Reaching for the Moon and Look to the Stars, the novels Encounter with Tiber and The Return and the nonfiction Men from Earth which explores his after his return from the moon. In 2010, Buzz Aldrin gained even more popularity when he appeared on the hit television show, "Dancing with the Stars." While he did not win, he was a favorite among the audience. He has been married to his wife Lois Driggs, since 1998. The couple have six children, all from previous marriages. They live in California where Aldrin continues to write and to work for his non-profit the ShareSpace Foundation which seeks to make space travel for all people possible. Buzz Armstrong autographs are not cheap. Expect to pay anywhere from $300 - $500 for a signed photo. Unless you catch him at a book signing or other autograph signing, you aren't likely to get an autograph. For Aldrin, an autograph is his property until he gets paid for it.
His signed books start at about $100, with is children's books being the most affordable. There is a lot of signed material in the marketplace at bargains can be found from time to time. When you come across one of these bargains, it is advisable to grab it for your collection. Supplies will shrink as time moves on. |
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