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Table of Contents
Astronaut Buzz Aldrin was the second man to set foot on the moon. In 1969 at the height of Cold War between U.S and Soviet Union, he was part of the Apollo 11 mission with Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins.
See the fact file below for more information on astronaut Buzz Aldrin or alternatively download our comprehensive worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.
Early Life:
- Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr. was born on January 20, 1930, in Montclair, New Jersey. His sister nicknamed him “Buzzer” for mispronounced “brother.” In 1988, Aldrin officially used Buzz as his first name.
- He was the son of Marion Moon, daughter of an army chaplain, and Edwin Eugene Aldrin, colonel of the U.S Air Force.
- Young Buzz studied in Montclair High School in New Jersey. After his graduation in 1947, he immediately entered the U.S Military Academy at West Point. By 1951, he graduated third of his class with the degree in Mechanical Engineering.
- Aldrin entered the United States Air Force and trained as a fighter pilot as he wished. He joined the 51st Fighter Wing mission in Korea. His wing fought to protect South Korea from the Communist invasion.
- In 1953, Aldrin pursued his master’s degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. By 1963, he finished his Ph.D in aeronautics and astronautics.
Aldrin’s Career & Legacy:
- After graduation, Aldrin became part of the group of men selected by NASA to pioneer space flight. He was nicknamed as “Dr. Rendezvous” after his thesis about the “Line-of-sight guidance techniques for manned orbital rendezvous.”
- Aldrin pioneered underwater training technique to stimulate spacewalking.
- On November 11-15, 1966, Aldrin made the longest and most successful spacewalk for 5 hours. Together with astronaut Jim Lovell and the crew of Gemini 12, he took the first photograph ‘selfie’ in space.
- He later joined the Apollo 8 mission with Neil Armstrong and Harrison ‘Jack’ Schmitt.
- On June 20, 1969, Aldrin became the second man to walk on the moon as he became the lunar module pilot of Apollo 11. He followed the mission commander Neil Armstrong. The historic landing gathered the largest television audience. They spent 21 hours on moonwalk and returned with 46 pounds of moon rocks.
- After 21 years of service, Aldrin retired from active duty and did a managerial role in NASA.
- In 1973, his autobiography “Return to Earth” was published. Aldrin revealed that he faced depression after the NASA mission.
- He devised the ‘Aldrin Mars Cycler’ and received U.S patents for his schematics of a modular space station, Star Booster reusable rockets, and multi-crew modules. Furthermore, he established the ShareSpace Foundation devoted for the advancement of space education and exploration.
- Together with Armstrong and Collins, Aldrin was awarded with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2011, they received the Congressional Gold Medal.
- In addition, Asteroid ‘6470 Aldrin’ and Aldrin Crater were named after him.
- Apollo 11 crew were honored with four stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California.
- In 2014, the ShareSpace Foundation inspired children from kindergarten to 8th grade through programs that highlighted STEAM Education (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math).
- According to the Buzz Aldrin official website, Aldrin launched the Buzz Aldrin’s Space Institute at Florida Tech to promote the vision of permanent settlement in Mars.
- Later in his career, Aldrin wrote several children’s books such as Reaching for the Moon (2005), Look to the Stars (2009), and Welcome to Mars: Making a Home to the Red Planet (2015). In addition, he also wrote science fiction novels including The Return (2000), and Encounter with Tiber (2004).
- In 2016, he published his memoir No Dream Is Too High: Life Lessons From a Man Who Walked on the Moon following his second autobiography Magnificent Desolation (2009).
Buzz Aldrin Worksheets
This bundle contains 11 ready-to-use Buzz Aldrin worksheets that are perfect for students who want to learn more about astronaut Buzz Aldrin who was the second man to set foot on the moon. In 1969 at the height of Cold War between U.S and Soviet Union, he was part of the Apollo 11 mission with Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins.
Download includes the following worksheets:
- Buzz Aldrin Facts
- Who’s Buzz?
- Men on the Moon
- Aldrin’s Flight to Space
- Apollo 11 Mission
- Fashioning Moonwalk
- NASA Facts
- Explore Explorers
- To the Moon and Back
- The Eagle Has Landed
- Space Conqueror
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Link will appear as Buzz Aldrin Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, June 27, 2023
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