Dr. Buzz Aldrin

Statement from Faur and Aldrin Families: Dr. Anca Aldrin, wife of astronaut Buzz Aldrin, peacefully passed away last night with her husband and her son, Vlad Ghenciu by her side. Mrs. Aldrin, an accomplished chemical engineer with a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh, served as the treasurer for the California Hydrogen Business Council and as Executive Vice President of Buzz Aldrin Ventures LLC. “I am so fortunate to have found and married the love of my life,” said General Aldrin. “She brought joy to everything we did together. I will miss her dearly.” Her family requests privacy in their time of mourning. For media inquiries, please contact Griffin Communications Group: Gwen Griffin (281-300-4681) Gwen@GriffinCG.com Jeff Carr (281-381-5427) Jeff@GriffinCG.com

Well, it’s official — NASA says Earth now has two moons (sort of). Officially, it’s a quasi-moon, a small asteroid called 2025 PN7 that’s been orbiting in sync with us for years. One Moon was special enough — but two? That’s something to smile about.

Happy 250th Birthday to the @USNAVY this week — a cornerstone of American strength since 1775. The Navy’s spirit of exploration has carried from the oceans to outer space, with many of its finest sailors serving as astronauts. Wishing all who serve fair winds and following seas. #Navy250

On this #ColumbusDay, I’m reminded of the courage it takes to venture into the unknown. Centuries after explorers crossed uncharted oceans, our Apollo 11 crew set out across the vastness of space to reach the Moon. Discovery—whether by sea or by rocket—has always defined the human spirit. May we never stop exploring new frontiers.

October 11th, 1968 saw the launch of Apollo 7. All of the early @NASA missions were important and unique in their own ways, but Apollo 7 was the first crewed Apollo mission, restoring confidence after the tragedy of Apollo 1. It tested important technology and we learned several lessons. It also saw the first live TV broadcast of Americans from space. Wally Schirra, Donn Eisele and Walt Cunningham did a great job!

#OTD in 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration commenced full-time operations as its own agency. Those were heady days during the Space Race – a time of optimism, grand vision, ambition, determination, pressure, and concern – but we accomplished what we all set out to do. Happy 67th Birthday to @NASA – I’m proud to have supported your vitally, important mission!

Today is the Autumnal Equinox, the official start of fall. It marks the moment when the sun crosses the celestial equator, resulting in nearly equal hours of daylight and darkness. The word "equinox" comes from Latin, meaning "equal night." Happy sky watching!

Happy 78th Birthday to the @usairforce. Having served a great portion of my life in this institution, I am proud of the men and women who have also dedicated their lives to its ranks. This is a salute to all who have served. Always Aim High... Fly-Fight-Win!

I have been through much over the course of my life, but the attacks of September 11, 2001 stand out for many reasons – the imagery, confusion, fear, and lasting impact on our way of life. To the victims who perished – in New York City, in Washington, in Pennsylvania – we will never forget your passing. And to those who rushed into harm’s way to save lives and protect the innocent, we will always remember your bravery, valor, and sacrifice.

Happy #HumpDay! Hang in there.

Wishing everyone a relaxing and well-earned #LaborDay today! Our great nation was built by those who put in long hours and work hard – today is your day to take a break! Happy Labor Day!

The first successful landing on Mars started 50 years ago with the launch of the Viking I mission in August of 1975, atop a Titan-Centaur rocket. The Viking I lander eventually touched down on the red planet in July of ’76. We need to keep focused on the goal to put humans on Mars.

Today is #NationalAviationDay – first established in 1939 by President Franklin D Roosevelt to acknowledge the birthday of Orville Wright. Today is a great day to recognize the importance of aviation to all humankind.

Even with the Moon shining brightly, these last few nights have presented some outstanding opportunities to observe the #Perseids meteor shower. Well done to these photographers who captured the moment. space.com/stargazing/met…

Grieving the loss of one of my best friends, Jim Lovell. His extraordinary legacy is cemented by many space missions: Gemini VII, Gemini XII, Apollo 8 and Apollo 13. Our mutual respect had no limits. The Gemini XII mission we flew together paved the way for the Apollo missions. Heartfelt condolences to Jim’s family. Farewell Jim. You will be missed, my friend. Godspeed!

Sometimes, you do things when the opportunity presents itself, simply because you can. Here I am in the late 60s in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria. Landing ahead of the other Apollo XI crew members, I decided to borrow a tee shirt and shorts from the hotel and go on a dive excursion with local dive expert Edoardo Filiputti. #CarpeDiem #enjoylife

This looks like an interesting endeavor – Skyfall – a plan to keep exploring Mars with several drone helicopters. With 72 flights, the Ingenuity program on Mars was a great achievement, and Skyfall looks to build upon those gains. We need to keep pressing onto Mars! space.com/astronomy/mars…

SPLASHDOWN!! On July 24th, 1969, we landed softly in the vast Pacific Ocean – and after eight humanity-changing days, our mission was complete. The great crew from the legendary @USNavy USS Hornet (CV-12) was there to see our prompt extraction from the deep! 56 years hence, #Apollo11 still amazes me – and I appreciate all of you for being with me to remember and recognize that important and historic endeavor.

Anca and I were grateful and touched to receive the highest blessing today, from His Holiness, Pope Leo XIV on the 56th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. What an honor! We prayed for good health, long life, and prosperity for all humankind. #PopeLeoXIV