BIT OF A BUZZ

Is Buzz Aldrin still alive and when did he and Neil Armstrong walk on the moon?

BUZZ Aldrin is a former American astronaut who became the second man to walk on the moon 50 years ago on July 21.

His achievements, along with the rest of the Apollo 11 crew, are still seen as one of the greatest in history. Here's Buzz's story and how he helped mankind make one giant leap.

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Nasa astronauts Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz AldrinCredit: BBC

Who is Buzz Aldrin, how old is he and what's his net worth?

Born in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, in January 1930, Buzz's real name was Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr but he ended up using Buzz due to his older sisters constantly mispronouncing brother as "Buzzer".

In 1988, Aldrin legally changed his name from Edwin to Buzz.

He joined the prestigious US military academy at West Point after graduating from high school in 1947 - following in the footsteps of his father who had also served in the armed forces.

Aldrin saw action during the Korean War in the US Air Force as a fighter pilot.

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Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin reportedly passed a lie detector test over claims he saw a UFOCredit: NASA

After several years in the Air Force he gained a degree in astronautics in 1963 and quickly became part of Nasa's select group of astronauts.

Aldrin joined Nasa at the height of the Cold War, with space increasingly becoming a cause of conflict and competition between the US and the USSR.

After a series of launches as part of the Gemini missions, he then joined Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins on the Apollo 11 mission.

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On July 20, 1969, a truly momentous moment in human history occurred when Armstrong, followed closely by Aldrin, made the first ever lunar landing and made mankind's first steps on to the surface of the moon.

The event is best remembered by Armstrong's iconic quote: "One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

In comparison, Aldrin's first words after exiting the lunar vehicle were simply "Beautiful view".

Aldrin retired from active duty in March 1972 but still makes public appearances and continues to be an advocate for space exploration, pushing in 2009 for a manned mission to Mars.

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He has also made appearances as himself in The Simpsons and Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon.

Now aged 89, the former astronaut is estimated to be worth a whopping £9.6million (US$12m).

Former NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin delivers a speech during an Apollo 11 anniversary celebration dinner in July 2019Credit: AFP or licensors

What has he said about Aliens and UFOs?

In April 2018, it was reported that Aldrin, along with three other astronauts, had passed lie detector tests over claims they had experienced alien encounters.

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