On November 11, 1966, Buzz Aldrin and command pilot James Lovell were launched into space in the Gemini 12 space craft on a four day flight, which brought the Gemini program to a successful close. Aldrin established a new record for extravehicular activity, spending five and a half-hours outside the spacecraft. He served as lunar module pilot for Apollo 11, July 16-24, 1969, the first manned lunar landing mission. Aldrin followed Armstrong onto the lunar surface on July 20, 1969, completing a two hour and fifteen minute lunar EVA. In July 1971, Aldrin resigned from NASA.