Personal Data
    Buzz Aldrin was born on January 20, 1930 in Montclair, New Jersey.  Lois Cannon of Phoenix, Arizona, is his wife and the mother of their three children.

    Aldrin and his wife have three children, two boys and a daughter.  They have one grandson.

Education
    Aldrin graduated from Montclair High School. He has received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1951 from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.  He received a Doctorate of Science in Astronautics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge.

Experience
    On October 1963, Aldrin was one of the astronauts named by NASA.  On November 11, 1966, he and command pilot James Lovell were launched into space in the Gemini 12 spacecraft.  The mission lasted 4- days.  This brought the Gemini program to a successful close.  Aldrin made a new record for extravehicular activity [EVA]. He spent 5-1/2 hours outside the spacecraft.

     Aldrin was the lunar module pilot for the Apollo 11.  It was the first manned lunar landing mission that lasted from July 16-24, 1969. 

     After a successful career as an astronaut, Buzz Aldrin resigned from NASA on July 1971.  In all, he logged 289 hours and 53 minutes in space.

    Aldrin earned honorary degrees from six different colleges and universities.

Honors

• Robert J. Collier Trophy
   
• Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy
   
• Harmon International Trophy in 1967
   
• Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969