Buzz Aldrin's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Buzz Aldrin.

Buzz Aldrin is an American former astronaut, engineer, and fighter pilot, most famously known as the second person to walk on the Moon during the 1969 Apollo 11 mission. He also piloted the 1966 Gemini 12 mission, undertaking three spacewalks. Following the deaths of his crewmates, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins, Aldrin is the last surviving member of the Apollo 11 crew.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

May 14, 1953: First Aerial Victory

On May 14, 1953, Buzz Aldrin shot down his first MiG-15 fighter while flying south of the Yalu River during the Korean War.

June 4, 1953: Second Aerial Victory

On June 4, 1953, Buzz Aldrin achieved his second aerial victory, shooting down another MiG during an attack on an airbase in North Korea. Aldrin saw the MiG's canopy open and the pilot eject, although Aldrin was uncertain whether there was sufficient time for a parachute to open.

October 18, 1963: Selection as NASA Astronaut

On October 18, 1963, Aldrin's selection as one of fourteen members of NASA's Astronaut Group 3 was announced, making him the first astronaut with a doctoral degree.

November 11, 1966: Launch of Gemini 12

On November 11, 1966, Gemini 12 was launched from Cape Canaveral. Radar contact deteriorated, forcing a manual rendezvous guided by Aldrin's sextant skills.

1966: NASA Exceptional Service Medal

During a 1966 ceremony marking the end of the Gemini program, Aldrin was awarded the NASA Exceptional Service Medal by President Johnson at LBJ Ranch.

1966: First Space Flight

In 1966, Buzz Aldrin had his first space flight on Gemini 12, during which he spent over five hours on extravehicular activity.

July 16, 1969: Launch of Apollo 11

On July 16, 1969, Apollo 11, propelled by a Saturn V rocket, launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with an estimated one million spectators and millions more watching on television and listening to radio broadcasts. The spacecraft entered Earth orbit twelve minutes after liftoff and, after one and a half orbits, began its trajectory toward the Moon.

July 21, 1969: Walking on the Moon

On July 21, 1969, at 03:15:16 UTC, Buzz Aldrin became the second person to set foot on the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission, nineteen minutes after Neil Armstrong. During the mission, Aldrin, a Presbyterian elder, took communion on the Moon, which was the first food and liquid consumed there.

1969: Presidential Medal of Freedom

In 1969, Aldrin was accorded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

1969: Air Force Distinguished Service Medal

In 1969, Aldrin was awarded the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) for his role as lunar module pilot on Apollo 11.

1969: Apollo 11 Crew Awarded Collier Trophy and General Thomas D. White USAF Space Trophy

In 1969, the Apollo 11 crew received the Collier Trophy. In a separate ceremony the National Aeronautic Association president awarded a duplicate trophy to Collins and Aldrin. The crew was also awarded the 1969 General Thomas D. White USAF Space Trophy.

1970: NASA Distinguished Service Medal

In 1970, Aldrin was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal for the Apollo 11 mission.

1970: Apollo 11 Crew Wins Dr. Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy, Harmon Trophy, Hubbard Medal and Iven C. Kincheloe award

In 1970, the Apollo 11 crew received multiple awards. They won the Dr. Robert H. Goddard Memorial Trophy from the National Space Club, the international Harmon Trophy conferred to them by Vice President Spiro Agnew in 1971, and the Hubbard Medal of the National Geographic Society presented by Spiro Agnew. The Apollo 11 team were also co-winners of the Iven C. Kincheloe award from the Society of Experimental Test Pilots along with Darryl Greenamyer. For contributions to the television industry, they were honored with round plaques on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

1971: Apollo 11 Crew Receives Harmon Trophy

In 1971, Vice President Spiro Agnew conferred the international Harmon Trophy to the Apollo 11 crew.

1972: Oak Leaf Cluster and Legion of Merit

In 1972, Aldrin was awarded an oak leaf cluster in lieu of a second DSM for his role in the Korean War and the space program, and the Legion of Merit for his role in the Gemini and Apollo programs.

October 1978: Aldrin quits drinking

In October 1978, Aldrin quit drinking for good after periods of hospitalization and sobriety alternating with bouts of heavy drinking.

1982: Inducted into International Space Hall of Fame

In 1982, Aldrin was one of ten Gemini astronauts inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame.

1993: Inducted into U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame

In 1993, Aldrin was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.

1999: Apollo 11 Crew Receives Smithsonian Institution's Langley Gold Medal

In 1999, during the 30th anniversary celebration of the lunar landing, the Apollo 11 crew received the Smithsonian Institution's Langley Gold Medal for aviation, presented by Vice President Al Gore. Following the ceremony, the crew presented President Bill Clinton with an encased Moon rock at the White House.

2000: Inducted into National Aviation Hall of Fame

In 2000, Aldrin was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

2003: Aldrin Receives Humanitarian Award from Variety, the Children's Charity

In 2003, Aldrin was honored with the Humanitarian Award from Variety, the Children's Charity, in recognition of his exceptional understanding, empathy, and devotion to mankind.

2006: Aldrin Receives General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award

In 2006, Aldrin was awarded the General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award, the Space Foundation's highest honor.

2008: Inducted into New Jersey Hall of Fame

In 2008, Aldrin was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

2011: Apollo 11 Crew Awarded New Frontier Congressional Gold Medal

In 2011, the Apollo 11 crew was awarded the New Frontier Congressional Gold Medal in the Capitol Rotunda. During the ceremony, NASA administrator Charles Bolden acknowledged the crew's trailblazing impact on space exploration.

2016: Buzz Aldrin Middle School Named in Montclair, New Jersey

In 2016, Aldrin's hometown middle school in Montclair, New Jersey, was renamed Buzz Aldrin Middle School in his honor.

March 2019: Children Withdraw Petition and Aldrin Drops Lawsuit

In March 2019, Aldrin's children withdrew their petition for legal guardianship, and Aldrin dropped his lawsuit against his children and former business manager, resolving the legal dispute.

2019: Aldrin Awarded Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication

In 2019, Aldrin received the Starmus Festival's Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication for Lifetime Achievement.

May 5, 2023: Aldrin Receives Honorary Promotion to Brigadier General

On May 5, 2023, Aldrin was granted an honorary promotion to the rank of brigadier general in the United States Air Force, in addition to being named an honorary Space Force guardian.