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Buzz Aldrin

20 January 1930 – present

Buzz Aldrin is an American former astronaut, engineer and fighter pilot who was the lunar module pilot of Apollo 11 and the second person to walk on the Moon, on 20 July 1969. A West Point graduate and Korean War pilot, he earned a doctorate in astronautics from MIT, developed rendezvous techniques for spaceflight and flew on Gemini 12 before the Apollo programme.

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Life events

Born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey
20 January 1930

Born Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr.; the nickname Buzz came from a sister's mispronunciation of brother.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Birth ✓
Graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point
1951

Graduated third in his class and was commissioned in the United States Air Force.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Flew combat missions in the Korean War
1951 – 1953

Flew 66 missions in F-86 Sabre jets with the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Earned a doctorate in astronautics from MIT
1963

His thesis on manned orbital rendezvous shaped techniques later used in the Gemini and Apollo programmes.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Selected by NASA as an astronaut
October 1963

Chosen in NASA's third group of astronauts.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Flew on Gemini 12
11 November 1966 – 15 November 1966

Completed more than five hours of extravehicular activity, demonstrating that useful work could be done outside a spacecraft.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom
1969

Presented to the Apollo 11 crew after their return.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Walked on the Moon during Apollo 11
20 July 1969

As lunar module pilot he followed Neil Armstrong onto the surface, becoming the second person to walk on the Moon.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
Achievement ✓
Left NASA
1971

Returned to the Air Force as commandant of the test pilot school at Edwards Air Force Base before retiring from the service in 1972.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Published the memoir Return to Earth
1973

Wrote publicly about the depression and alcoholism he experienced after the Apollo programme.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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