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Buzz Aldrin reflects on moon landing 55 years after Apollo 11 mission with Neil Armstrong: 'I have many memories'
Buzz Aldrin, the last surviving crew member of the historic Apollo 11 mission, talked about his thoughts on the mission, his memories, and the future of space exploration.
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Buzz Aldrin, the last surviving Apollo 11 astronaut, reflects on landing on moon with Neil Armstrong
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He shares his gratitude for the mission’s success and the unity it inspired among people worldwide
Buzz Aldrin, the last living crew member of the legendary Apollo 11 mission, gave a rare interview with PEOPLE. At 94, Aldrin reflected on that historic journey and expressed his hopes for the future of space exploration.
The epic mission of Apollo 11
On July 20, 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin made history by landing on the Moon. They faced a number of challenges, including a possible fuel shortage and an overloaded landing computer.
Armstrong took manual control, and with only 15 seconds of fuel remaining, he successfully landed Eagle, the lunar module, in the Sea of Tranquility. Armstrong famously said, "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."
Six and a half hours later, Armstrong stepped onto the moon's surface, saying the famous phrase, “That’s one small step for man. One giant leap for mankind.”
Aldrin joined him 20 minutes later and described the scenery as “Beautiful view. Magnificent desolation.” After 21 hours on the moon, they rejoined command module pilot Michael Collins in orbit and returned to Earth.
Buzz Aldrin recalled the lasting impact on humanity
Reflecting on the mission, Aldrin spoke about both human space flight and global unity. "Apollo 11 — and the missions which followed — changed our understanding of human space flight, of the moon, and ourselves," he said. Aldrin stated the mission's role in fulfilling President Kennedy's pledge to beat the Soviets to the moon and advance the concept of global peace.
Aldrin recalled the mission's unity, saying that while they were on the moon, mankind, all of humanity, had come together to celebrate this human achievement. He thanked the tens of thousands of people who helped make the mission a success, as well as American leadership.
Buzz Aldrin shared personal memories and challenges
Aldrin recalled many memories of the mission, especially the teamwork and mission focus. He referred to the lunar surface as "desolate and beautiful," echoing Armstrong's words. One of his most vivid memories was of ascending from the moon.
"We might have ended up stuck there since the ascent engine circuit breaker was accidentally broken off when we reentered the lunar module," Aldrin said. They returned safely after activating the engine with a pen.
Aldrin's sense of gratitude remains strong. He expressed gratitude to everyone who helped make that incredible event in his, their, and the nation's lives a reality. He assured them that God had their best interests at heart.
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