In Photos: Buzz Aldrin, Apollo 11 Moonwalker and Astronaut Icon

Top Chef Buzz Aldrin

Bravo Photo

Anthony Bourdain, Padma Lakshmi and Buzz Aldrin dining during the "Space Food" episode of Top Chef.

Neil Armstrong Speaks to Congress

NASA/Paul Alers

Apollo 11 Commander Neil Armstrong speaks to Congress at a ceremony that honored fellow astronauts John Glenn, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins. Each received a Congressional Gold Medals during the ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda on Nov. 16, 2011.

Apollo 11 Crew in the House

NASA/Bill Ingalls

Apollo 11 astronauts, from left, Michael Collins, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stand during a recognition ceremony at the U.S House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology tribute to the Apollo 11 astronauts at the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill, Tuesday, July 21, 2009, in Washington. The committee presented the three Apollo 11 astronauts with a framed copy of House Resolution 607 honoring their achievement, and announced passage of legislation awarding them and John Glenn the Congressional Gold Medal.

Space Congressional Gold Medals

NASA/Stephanie Schierholz

Enlargements of the New Frontier Congressional Gold Medal being on display in the Capitol Rotunda. The smaller, actual-size medals were awarded to astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and John Glenn on Nov. 16, 2011.

Neil Armstrong Honored: Apollo 11 Crew

NASA/Bill Ingalls

Apollo 11 Astronauts Michael Collins, left, and Buzz Aldrin talk at a private memorial service celebrating the life of Neil Armstrong, Aug. 31, 2012, at the Camargo Club in Cincinnati. Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon during the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, died Saturday, Aug. 25. He was 82.

Former U.S. Sen. John Glenn and Buzz Aldrin

NASA/Bill Ingalls

Former U.S. Sen. John Glenn, left, and Buzz Aldrin shake hands prior to a memorial service celebrating the life of Neil Armstrong, Thursday, Sept. 13, 2012, at the Washington National Cathedral.

Buzz Aldrin, John Glenn at Armstrong Memorial

NASA TV

Astronauts Buzz Aldrin (front row, 2nd from left) and John Glenn (front row, at right) attended the Neil Armstrong memorial service celebrating the life of Neil Armstrong, Thursday, Sept. 13, 2012, at the Washington National Cathedral.

President Obama and Advisors De-plane

NASA

President Barack Obama, left, exits Air Force One with (L to R) US Representative Suzanne M. Kosmas (D - FL), U.S Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL), NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and Apollo 11 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin after landing at the NASA Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. on Thursday, April 15, 2010.

Apollo 11 Crew Meets Obama

NASA/Bill Ingall

President Barack Obama poses with Apollo 11 astronauts, from left, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins, and Neil Armstrong, Monday, July 20, 2009, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing.

Buzz Aldrin's Lunar Portrait

NASA

Buzz Aldrin seen near the leg of the Lunar Module (LM) "Eagle" during the Apollo 11 extravehicular activity (EVA). Neil Armstrong, whose reflection is seen in Aldrin’s facemask, took this photograph.

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Tariq Malik
Editor-in-Chief

Tariq is the Editor-in-Chief of Space.com and joined the team in 2001, first as an intern and staff writer, and later as an editor. He covers human spaceflight, exploration and space science, as well as skywatching and entertainment. He became Space.com's Managing Editor in 2009 and Editor-in-Chief in 2019. Before joining Space.com, Tariq was a staff reporter for The Los Angeles Times covering education and city beats in La Habra, Fullerton and Huntington Beach. In October 2022, Tariq received the Harry Kolcum Award for excellence in space reporting from the National Space Club Florida Committee. He is also an Eagle Scout (yes, he has the Space Exploration merit badge) and went to Space Camp four times as a kid and a fifth time as an adult. He has journalism degrees from the University of Southern California and New York University. You can find Tariq at Space.com and as the co-host to the This Week In Space podcast with space historian Rod Pyle on the TWiT network. To see his latest project, you can follow Tariq on Twitter @tariqjmalik.