Buzz Aldrin Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What Is Buzz Aldrin’s Net Worth?

With a net worth of $12 million, Buzz Aldrin is an American engineer, fighter pilot, and former astronaut. He gained fame as one of the first two individuals to walk on the Moon along with Neil Armstrong in 1969. Before this historic moment, Aldrin participated in combat missions during the Korean War and conducted three spacewalks as the pilot of Gemini 12 in 1966. After leaving NASA in 1971, Aldrin served as the Commandant of the US Air Force Test Pilot School.

The name “Buzz” has its roots in his childhood when one of his elder sisters mispronounced “brother” as “buzzer,” which was later abbreviated to Buzz. In 1988, he made it his legal first name.

Although technically the ‘second’ person to set foot on the Moon, he served as the lunar module pilot on Apollo 11, marking the first manned lunar landing in history. He stepped onto the lunar surface at 03:15:16 (UTC) on July 21, 1969, just after mission commander Neil Armstrong. Aldrin’s initial words as he landed on the Moon were “Beautiful view. Magnificent desolation.”

Early Life and Education

Born Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr. on January 20, 1930, in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Buzz Aldrin is the son of Edwin Sr., a Standard Oil executive and former Army aviator from World War I, and his wife Marion. He has two older sisters, Madeleine and Fay Ann. During his younger years, Aldrin was involved in the Boy Scouts and played football while attending Montclair High School. Encouraged by his father to enroll in the United States Naval Academy, he instead pursued studies at the nearby Severn School for preparation but opted for the United States Military Academy at West Point due to seasickness issues. Aldrin graduated in 1951, placing third in his class with a BS degree in mechanical engineering.

Military Career

Upon graduation, Buzz Aldrin was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force, moving to Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas, where he trained to fly fighter jets. In 1952, he joined the 16^th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron and participated in the Korean War, flying a total of 66 combat missions and downing two MiG-15 aircraft, earning him two Distinguished Flying Crosses and three Air Medals.

After the war, Aldrin became an aerial gunnery instructor at Nellis and completed the Squadron Officer School at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. From 1956 until 1959, he commanded several F-100 Super Sabres stationed in West Germany. Upon returning to the United States, he pursued graduate studies at MIT, where he earned a Doctor of Science degree in astronautics in 1963. He was then assigned to the Gemini Target Office within the Air Force Space Systems Division.

NASA Career and Apollo 11

In 1963, Aldrin was selected as one of the 14 members in NASA’s Astronaut Group 3, distinguishing him as the first astronaut with a doctoral degree. He was later chosen as a member of the backup crew for Gemini 10. Aldrin’s inaugural spaceflight occurred in 1966 on Gemini 12, during which he spent more than five hours

extravehicular activity was performed.

On July 16, 1969, three years later, Aldrin was aboard Apollo 11 serving as the Lunar Module Pilot when liftoff occurred from the Kennedy Space Center. Buzz and mission commander Neil Armstrong set foot on the Moon on July 21, becoming the first two individuals to do so. Furthermore, as a Presbyterian elder, Aldrin conducted a religious ceremony on the lunar surface by privately taking communion. When the crew returned to Earth, they were honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Following this, Buzz made numerous public appearances, delivered speeches, and was involved in the design of space shuttles. Nevertheless, seeing limited opportunities at NASA, he ultimately departed the organization in 1971 with intentions to rejoin the Air Force. Aldrin concluded his NASA career with a total of 289 hours spent in space.

Post-NASA Career

Upon his departure from NASA, Aldrin took on the role of Commandant of the USAF Aerospace Research Pilot School located at Edwards Air Force Base in California. During his time there, he faced conflicts with his superior, Brigadier General Robert M. White, and dealt with the pressures of his public persona. As a result, Buzz encountered signs of depression, worsened by the suicides of his mother and grandfather, leading to a four-week hospitalization. He retired from the Air Force in 1972 holding the rank of colonel.

Even though he continued to battle depression and addiction after leaving NASA and the Air Force, Aldrin remained an advocate for space exploration. In 1985, he joined the University of North Dakota’s College of Aerospace Sciences, contributing to the development of its Space Studies program. He founded the non-profit educational organization ShareSpace in 1998, which aims to promote the advantages of STEAM. Buzz endorsed a human mission to Mars in 2013 and presented a master plan to NASA in 2015, in collaboration with the Florida Institute of Technology, focusing on the colonization of the planet by astronauts by 2040.

Personal Life

Buzz’s first marriage was to Joan Archer in 1954; the couple had three children—Janice, James, and Andrew—before divorcing in 1974. Subsequently, he was married to Beverly Van Zile from 1975 to 1978. He married his third wife, Lois Driggs Cannon, in 1988, but they divorced in 2012. Throughout his life, Buzz has predominantly lived in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas, including locations like Beverly Hills, Westwood, Emerald Bay, and Laguna Beach, as well as in Satellite Beach, Florida.

Honors

Among numerous accolades, Aldrin received the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal in 1969 for his contributions to Apollo 11. He was also awarded the Legion of Merit in recognition of his service during the Gemini and Apollo missions, along with the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and the Collier Trophy, which was awarded to the entire Apollo 11 crew. In

In 1982, Buzz became one of the ten Gemini astronauts who were inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame. Subsequently, he was also inducted into the US Astronaut Hall of Fame, the National Aviation Hall of Fame, and the New Jersey Hall of Fame.

He has received various honors including the Smithsonian Institution’s Langley Gold Medal, the Harmon Trophy, the Space Foundation’s General James E. Hill Lifetime Space Achievement Award, along with several honorary degrees from various colleges and universities.

Real Estate

Buzz and his then-wife Lois bought a condo in L.A.’s Westwood neighborhood in 1998 for $1.34 million. After their divorce, he put the condo on the market for $3.3 million. In June 2014, the unit was sold for $2.857 million.