Buzz Aldrin, the second man who stepped on the Moon, had to be evacuated from Antarctica after getting sick while on tour.
During the trip, Aldrin was attended by a doctor, but his condition deteriorated, which forced the medical team to evacuate him from the continent thanks to a flight provided by the U.S. National Science Foundation.
Out of the 12 astronauts that have walked on the Moon, 86-year-old Buzz Aldrin is one of the seven that remain alive, the others being Harrison Schmitt and Charles Duke aged 81, Eugene Cernan aged 82, David Scott and Alan Bean aged 84, and John W. Young aged 86.
A man who stepped the Moon glances at Mars exploration efforts
Aldrin was feeling sick before being flown to Christchurch from the McMurdo Station on the Antarctic coast. According to Antarctic tour company White Desert, Buzz Aldrin had fluid inside his lungs but responded well to antibiotic treatment. He is to undergo hospitalization, accompanied by his manager Christina Korp. Aldrin was also joined by his son Andrew on his trip to Antarctica which was supposed to last just a week before his condition deteriorated.
Recently, Aldrin has traveled around the world to lobby for Mars exploration and to promote education based on space and science.
Official statement about Buzz and his evacuation from the South Pole. He's recovering well in NZ. Full statement https://t.co/OacRI4577Z pic.twitter.com/QdrEaHuQHq
— Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) December 1, 2016
When it comes to sending people to the Moon, the Obama administration has refrained from assigning more funds for this type of endeavor, instead focusing on climate research. On the other hand, Trump intends to send American astronauts to the Moon, as a lunar base of operations could serve as a refuel station and lunar telescopes would provide better images of the farthest corners of the universe than any device located on Earth.
In 2003, NASA was planning on returning to the Moon, but this was criticized by Buzz Aldrin, who believed that NASA only wanted to step on the lunar surface rather than doing something prolific regarding scientific breakthrough of some sort.
Aldrin has stated that he perceives the Moon as a “point of departure,” rather than a destination. He also strongly supports sending a manned mission to Mars before the year 2040, to which he elaborated a plan for NASA’s consideration, requiring astronauts with at least ten years of flight experience to be the firsts to colonize the planet.
Regarding climate change, Buzz Aldrin affirms that it is a real phenomenon, but he refrains from saying that humans cause it. Instead, he believes that it is the Earth itself what causes it, seeing that it has warmed up and cooled down many times throughout its planetary history.
His latest book is “No Dream Is Too High,” a reflection on wisdom, principles, and anecdotes that the astronaut has gathered throughout his rich life. There, he revealed that he was supposed to be the first to step on the Moon, but rules changed just before the mission started. In the book, he explains how he has come to enjoy being the second man to step on the lunar surface and that he was rejected at his first application to become an astronaut, as he recommends his fans to look for opportunities instead of obstacles.
Source: US News and World Report