In Photos: Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 Moonwalker and Astronaut Icon
Buzz Aldrin on the Moon
Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin poses for a snapshot while inside the Lunar Module in this July 1969 NASA image. Aldrin and astronaut Neil Armstrong were the first humans to land and walk on the moon on July 20, 1969.
Apollo 11 Launches Buzz Aldrin Moonward
A Saturn V rocket launches the Apollo 11 crew on the first moon landing mission on July 16, 1969 in this image framed by an American flag. Four days later, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon while crewmate Michael Collins orbited above.
First Footprints on the Moon
Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin Aldrin photographed this iconic photo, a view of his footprint in the lunar soil, as part of an experiment to study the nature of lunar dust and the effects of pressure on the surface during the historic first manned moon landing in July 1969.
THE MOON: Then, Now, Next
The Apollo 11 crew, from left: Commander Neil A. Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins, and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin E. "Buzz" Aldrin Jr. On July 20th 1969 at 4:18 PM, EDT the Lunar Module "Eagle" landed in a region of the moon called the Mare Tranquillitatis, also known as the Sea of Tranquility.
Buzz Aldrin and AXE Apollo Space Academy
Description: Buzz Aldrin salutes the camera in this still from a promotional video for the AXE Space Academy, a contest that aims to launch 22 winners on suborbital flights aboard XCOR Aerospace's Lynx spacecraft. Aldrin has teamed up with AXE officials for the private spaceflight project.
Apollo 11 Crew Walks to Launch Pad
The Apollo 11 crew leaves Kennedy Space Center's Manned Spacecraft Operations Building during the pre-launch countdown. Mission commander Neil Armstrong, command module pilot Michael Collins, and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin prepare to ride the special transport van to Launch Complex 39A where their spacecraft awaited them. Liftoff occurred at 9:32 a.m. EDT, July 16, 1969.
Apollo 11 moon landing
Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin stands on the lunar surface during the first moon landing in 1969.
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Buzz Aldrin Walks on the Moon in 1969
Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin walks on the moon in July 1969 in this photo snapped by Neil Armstrong.
Aldrin Gazes at Tranquility Base
Astronaut and Lunar Module pilot Buzz Aldrin with the LR-3, the only Apollo experiment that is still returning data from the moon.
Buzz Aldrin Meets Buzz Lightyear
Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin gives "Toy Story" star Buzz Lightyear (in action figure form) the good news that he is cleared to launch on a NASA space shuttle mission to the International Space Station in 2008 in this still from a NASA video.
The Real Buzz
Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin warns a toy Buzz Lightyear headed for the International Space Station that he is, in fact, the "real" Buzz in this still from a NASA promotional video.
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Tariq is the Editor-in-Chief of Space.com and joined the team in 2001, first as an intern and staff writer, and later as an editor. He covers human spaceflight, exploration and space science, as well as skywatching and entertainment. He became Space.com's Managing Editor in 2009 and Editor-in-Chief in 2019. Before joining Space.com, Tariq was a staff reporter for The Los Angeles Times covering education and city beats in La Habra, Fullerton and Huntington Beach. In October 2022, Tariq received the Harry Kolcum Award for excellence in space reporting from the National Space Club Florida Committee. He is also an Eagle Scout (yes, he has the Space Exploration merit badge) and went to Space Camp four times as a kid and a fifth time as an adult. He has journalism degrees from the University of Southern California and New York University. You can find Tariq at Space.com and as the co-host to the This Week In Space podcast with space historian Rod Pyle on the TWiT network. To see his latest project, you can follow Tariq on Twitter @tariqjmalik.