Buzz Aldrin: Moon Travel Expenses Totaled Less Than $34
According to Buzz Aldrin, his moon travel expenses totaled less than $34. The Schedule of Expenses and Amounts Claimed, which is dated June 1969, was shared by the Former NASA astronaut via social media. Although the amount seems incredibly low, the document clearly states Aldrin’s meals and living quarters were not included.
As reported by CNN, a majority of the expenses were related to ground travel from Houston, Texas, to Cape Kennedy, Florida. As Aldrin used his personal vehicle in lieu of a rental, he was reimbursed for mileage and fuel.
#TBT My mission director @Buzzs_xtina‘s favorite piece of my memorabilia. My travel voucher to the moon. #Apollo11 pic.twitter.com/c89UyOfvgY
— Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) July 30, 2015
A native of Montclair, New Jersey, Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr. graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1951. He then attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge — where he earned a doctorate of science in Astronautics.
Buzz Aldrin was hired as a NASA astronaut in 1963. Three years later, he joined the crew of Gemini 12 for the craft’s final mission. During the trip, he broke NASA’s record for extravehicular activity, as he spent over five hours outside the craft.
In 1969, Aldrin joined the crew of Apollo 11 for the first manned mission to the moon. On July 20, 1969, he became the second man to step onto the surface of the moon.
Included with Buzz Aldrin’s moon travel expenses was General Declaration of Agriculture, Customs, Immigration, and Public Health. On the official document, the astronaut declared cargo, which including moon rock and dust samples.
Yes the #Apollo11 crew also signed customs forms. We brought back moon rocks & moon dust samples. Moon disease TBD. pic.twitter.com/r9Sn57DeoW
— Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) August 2, 2015
As reported by NASA, Aldrin “logged 289 hours and 53 minutes in space, of which, 7 hours and 52 minutes were spent in EVA” prior to his 1971 resignation.
In addition to his career with NASA, Aldrin spent 21 years in the United States Air Force.
Following his retirement, the former astronaut co-authored several non-fiction books and novels, including Return to Earth, Men from Earth, The Return, and Mission to Mars. He also appeared in several television programs and movies, including The Boy in the Plastic Bubble, Numb3rs, Dancing with the Stars, and The Big Bang Theory.
Although he resigned from NASA in 1971, Buzz Aldrin remains committed to promoting space exploration programs. He is an often-sought public speaker, who enjoys discussing his experiences in outer space.
In recent weeks, Buzz Aldrin shared his moon travel expense report and customs declaration. In his own words, the reports are among his most prized possessions.
[Image via Getty Images / NASA / Handout]
