Buzz Aldrin was the lunar module pilot on Apollo 11, the first crewed Moon landing mission.
Aldrin and mission commander Neil Armstrong descended to the lunar surface in the lunar module Eagle on July 20, 1969. Command module pilot Michael Collins remained in lunar orbit aboard Columbia. Aldrin followed Armstrong onto the surface and became the second person to walk on the Moon.
Before Apollo 11, Aldrin had flown on Gemini 12 in 1966, where he completed three spacewalks and helped demonstrate techniques for working outside a spacecraft. His doctorate in orbital mechanics contributed to his nickname, “Dr. Rendezvous.”
Aldrin and Armstrong spent about 21 hours and 36 minutes on the lunar surface. They collected samples, photographed the area, and deployed scientific equipment before ascending to reunite with Collins.