(Edwin E., Jr.; 1930- ), astronaut. In 1966, as pilot of Gemini 12, Aldrin proved that people can work outside an orbiting vehicle by "walking" in space for several hours. On July 20, 1969, Aldrin and
Neil A. Armstrong, the mission commander, landed on the moon in the Apollo 11 lunar module; Armstrong preceded Aldrin in their historic walk on the moon. After retiring from the
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1971 and the U.S. Air Force in 1972, Aldrin entered private business and wrote an autobiography, Return to Earth (1973).
