I didn’t start skiing until I was 50. My wife Lois taught me how to ski. I’m proficiently conservative. – Buzz Aldrin
What’s aero braking? That’s a way to use the gravity and upper atmosphere of Earth to sling shot a ship out either deeper into space, or slow it down to be ‘captured’ by Earth’s gravity. – Buzz Aldrin
America’s can-do spirit cast a warm glow across nations and cultures, generating more goodwill and support for our country’s ideals and causes than had otherwise been possible. – Buzz Aldrin
The purpose of going to Mars is for humans to first begin to occupy, permanently, another planet in the solar system. The astronauts or pilgrims, whatever you might call them, are going to be very historically unique human beings. – Buzz Aldrin
I’m not in favor of just taking short-term isolated situations and depleting our resources to keep our climate just the way it is today. – Buzz Aldrin
I am excited to think that the development of commercial capabilities to send humans into low Earth orbit will likely result in so many more Earthlings being able to experience the transformative power of space flight. – Buzz Aldrin
When the time comes to start building deep space transports and refueling rocket tankers, it will be the commercial industry that steps up, not another government-owned, government-managed enterprise. – Buzz Aldrin
I’ve led a life of such structured discipline and always had a goal in mind of knowing what I was doing, from West Point to the Air Force combat, MIT, looking for new things to study and get involved in. And then I got into the space program, and how disciplined can you get? – Buzz Aldrin
My first inclination is to be a bit skeptical about the claims that human-produced carbon dioxide is the direct contributor to global warming. – Buzz Aldrin
I feel we need to remind the world about the Apollo missions and that we can still do impossible things. – Buzz Aldrin
As someone who flew two space capsules and twice landed in the ocean, I can attest from personal experience how much logistics work is needed to get you home. – Buzz Aldrin
Timing has always been a key element in my life. I have been blessed to have been in the right place at the right time. – Buzz Aldrin
Exploring Mars is a far different venture from Apollo expeditions to the moon; it necessitates leaving our home planet on lengthy missions with a constrained return capability. – Buzz Aldrin
Like actors and writers who are on and off again in terms of employment, I had a very unstructured life. – Buzz Aldrin
My own American Dream was to serve my country as best I could and make a difference in America – and in the world. – Buzz Aldrin
Space is not just going up and coming back down again. Space is getting into orbit and being there, living there, establishing a presence, a permanence. – Buzz Aldrin
The pilgrims on the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock. To my knowledge, they didn’t wait around for a return trip to Europe. You settle some place with a purpose. If you don’t want to do that, stay home. You avoid an awful lot of risks by not venturing outward. – Buzz Aldrin
Space architectures capable of supporting a permanent human presence on Mars are extraordinarily complex, with many different interdependent systems. – Buzz Aldrin
I think there would be no shortage of applicants to the government astronaut corps to be settlers on the planet Mars. And I think this would be very inspiring. – Buzz Aldrin
I think both the space shuttle program and the International Space Station program have not really lived up to their expectations. – Buzz Aldrin
Mars has been flown by, orbited, smacked into, radar inspected, and rocketed onto, as well as bounced upon, rolled over, shoveled, drilled into, baked, and even laser blasted. – Buzz Aldrin
