Aldrin is a legendary American astronaut who was the second person to walk on the moon after Neil Armstrong in 1969.
He is also an engineer, a fighter pilot, a best-selling author, and a space advocate.
But how much is Buzz Aldrin’s net worth in 2023?
According to source Net Worth, Buzz Aldrin’s net worth is estimated to be around $12 million as of September 2023.
This is based on his income from his military and NASA careers, his book royalties, his public appearances, and his investments.
However, some sources claim that his net worth could be higher or lower, depending on how he manages his assets and expenses.
Who is Buzz Aldrin?
Buzz Aldrin was born Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr. on January 20, 1930, in Montclair, New Jersey.
His nickname “Buzz” came from his sister who mispronounced “brother” as “buzzer” when he was a child.
He legally changed his name to Buzz Aldrin in 1988.
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Buzz Aldrin’s Age
Aldrin was born on January 20, 1930, which means he is 93 years old as of 2023.
Buzz Aldrin’s Early Life and Education
Buzz Aldrin grew up in a military family.
His father was a colonel in the U.S. Air Force and his mother was the daughter of an Army chaplain.
He graduated from Montclair High School in 1947 and attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated third in his class with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1951.
Buzz then joined the Air Force as a fighter pilot.
Buzz Aldrin’s Military Career
Aldrin flew 66 combat missions in F-86 Sabre jets during the Korean War, shooting down two MiG-15 aircraft.
He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals for his service.
After the war, he served as an aerial gunnery instructor and a flight commander in West Germany.
He also attended the Squadron Officer School and the Aerospace Research Pilot School.
In 1959, he enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to pursue a doctorate in astronautics.
His thesis topic was “Line-of-Sight Guidance Techniques for Manned Orbital Rendezvous,” which earned him the nickname “Dr. Rendezvous” from his fellow astronauts. He graduated with a Doctor of Science degree in 1963.
Buzz Aldrin’s NASA Career and Apollo 11
In October 1963, Buzz Aldrin was selected as one of the third group of NASA astronauts.
He was the first astronaut with a doctoral degree and became an expert in docking and rendezvous techniques for spacecraft. He also pioneered underwater training methods to simulate spacewalking.
His first spaceflight was aboard Gemini 12 in November 1966, where he performed three extravehicular activities (EVAs) totaling more than five hours.
He set a new record for the longest spacewalk and demonstrated that humans could work effectively in space.
His second and most famous spaceflight was aboard Apollo 11 in July 1969, where he became the lunar module pilot and the second person to walk on the moon after Neil Armstrong.
He spent about two hours on the lunar surface with Armstrong, collecting rock samples, taking photographs, and setting up scientific equipment.
Buzz also conducted the first religious ceremony on the moon by taking communion privately.
The Apollo 11 mission was watched by an estimated 600 million people around the world and marked a historic achievement for humanity.
Buzz Aldrin’s Post-NASA Career
After retiring from NASA in 1971, Buzz Aldrin worked at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School.
He concluded his 21-year service in the Air Force in 1972. Subsequently, Aldrin ventured into various roles in:
- private business
- encompassing consulting
- speaking, writing
- advocating for space exploration.
He penned autobiographies, “Return to Earth” (1973) and “Magnificent Desolation” (2009), addressing his battles with depression and alcoholism post-NASA.
Aldrin also authored other space exploration books like:
- “Encounter with Tiber” (1996)
- “Reaching for the Moon” (2005)
- “Mission to Mars” (2013)
- “No Dream Is Too High” (2016)
To advance space education and exploration, he established organizations such as ShareSpace Foundation, Buzz Aldrin’s Rocket Hero Institute, and Buzz Aldrin Ventures.
Additionally, Aldrin engaged in various media projects, including documentaries, movies, TV shows, video games, and music videos.
He made notable appearances in productions like:
- The Simpsons
- Futurama
- The Big Bang Theory
- Dancing with the Stars
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon
- Mass Effect 3
- Snoop Dogg’s Rocket Experience.
Aldrin’s contributions earned him numerous prestigious honors and awards, including:
- the Presidential Medal of Freedom
- the Congressional Gold Medal
- the NASA Distinguished Service Medal
- the NASA Exceptional Service Medal
- the Langley Gold Medal
- the Harmon Trophy
- the Collier Trophy
- the Hubbard Medal.
He also holds four stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has a lunar crater named after him.
Buzz Aldrin’s Investment and Assets
Buzz Aldrin’s net worth is largely derived from his income from his military and NASA careers, his book royalties, his public appearances, and his investments.
He also owns several properties, such as a condo in Westwood, California, which he sold for $2.87 million in 2014, and a home in Satellite Beach, Florida, which he bought for $1.3 million in 2017.
However, his net worth has also been affected by his expenses, such as:
- taxes
- legal fees
- alimony
- charity donations.
He has been married four times and divorced three times.
His most recent marriage was to Anca Faur in 2023.
Buzz has three children from his first marriage to Joan Archer:
- Andrew
- James
- Janice
He has also been involved in several lawsuits, such as a defamation case against his former manager Christina Korp and a family dispute over his finances and mental health.
Buzz settled both cases in 2019.
Buzz has also donated to various causes, such as education, veterans, environment, and space exploration.
Conclusion
Buzz Aldrin is a legendary American astronaut who was the second person to walk on the moon after Neil Armstrong in 1969.
He is also an engineer, a fighter pilot, a best-selling author, and a space advocate.
His net worth is estimated to be around $12 million as of September 2023, based on his income from his military and NASA careers, his book royalties, his public appearances, and his investments.
However, his net worth could be higher or lower, depending on how he manages his assets and expenses.
He is one of the most influential and inspiring figures in the history of space exploration and human achievement.
Table of Facts About Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr
| Fact | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr. |
| Nickname | Buzz |
| Date of Birth | January 20, 1930 |
| Place of Birth | Montclair, New Jersey |
| NASA Selection Year | 1963 |
| Moon Landing | Apollo 11 (July 20, 1969) |
| Role in Apollo 11 Mission | Lunar Module Pilot |
| Time Spent on Lunar Surface | Approximately 2 hours |
| Notable Achievements | Second person to walk on the moon after Neil Armstrong |
| Educational Background | Graduated from U.S. Military Academy at West Point (1951) |
| Ph.D. in astronautics from MIT (1963) | |
| Military Service | U.S. Air Force Colonel |
| Number of Combat Missions (Korean War) | 66 |
| Awards and Medals | Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals, various NASA honors |
| Notable Publications | “Return to Earth” (1973), “Magnificent Desolation” (2009) |
| “Encounter with Tiber” (1996), “Reaching for the Moon” (2005) | |
| “Mission to Mars” (2013), “No Dream Is Too High” (2016) | |
| Organizations Founded | ShareSpace Foundation, Buzz Aldrin’s Rocket Hero Institute, |
| Buzz Aldrin Ventures | |
| Notable Appearances | The Simpsons, Futurama, The Big Bang Theory, Dancing with the Stars, |
| Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Mass Effect 3, Snoop Dogg’s Rocket | |
| Experience | |
| Honors and Awards | Presidential Medal of Freedom, Congressional Gold Medal, NASA |
| Distinguished Service Medal, NASA Exceptional Service Medal, Langley | |
| Gold Medal, Harmon Trophy, Collier Trophy, Hubbard Medal | |
| Four stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame | |
| Lunar Features Named After Him | Lunar crater named “Aldrin” |
