BUZZ ALDRIN

Scientists for the first time have grown plants in soil from the moon collected by NASA’s Apollo astronauts.

They both carved out sterling reputations as military and political leaders over years of public service.

Kami Ernst, an ordained minister, just finished a wedding when her husband, 1st Sgt. James Ernst came home after a year-long deployment to surprise her.

New Jersey will honor nine of its most illustrious citizens by slapping their names on rest stops along the turnpike. Scott Simon muses over what becomes a legend most.

>> Read more trending newsBezos will be the second billionaire in space, following Sir Richard Branson’s space flight once the tech entrepreneur blasts off Tuesday morning in his Blue Origin rocket, CNN reported. Branson beat Bezos when the Virgin Galactic founder leapfrogged over Bezos’ planned launch earlier this month. Bezos will be joined by his brother Mark Bezos, Oliver Daemen and Mary Wallace Funk, The New York Times reported. Bezos and Daemen said the teen will be the youngest person in space, according to the newspaper. >>Related: Wally Funk to finally to go to space thanks to Jeff BezosFunk, who goes by Wally Funk, was selected by NASA for the Mercury 14 Women in Space program and trained with the agency to go into space, but never went.

When Blue Origin launches people into space for the first time, founder Jeff Bezos will be on board.

A new podcast series revisits how broadcast journalists covered some of the biggest stories, and tells some fascinating behind-the-scenes details.

Two billionaires are putting everything on the line to ride their own rockets into space.

The price to rocket into space next month with Jeff Bezos and his brother is a cool $28 million.

The order directs NASA to lead further space exploration programs to the moon and eventually Mars

Sixty years after Alan Shepard became the first American in space, everyday people are on the verge of following in his cosmic footsteps.

NASA astronaut Michael Collins is expected to be honored Friday with a remembrance ceremony at Kennedy Space Center’s Visitor Complex.

Michael Collins stayed in orbit as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon in 1969.

Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins has died at age 90.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – A billionaire’s private SpaceX flight filled its two remaining seats Tuesday with a scientist-teacher and a data engineer whose college friend actually won a spot but gave him the prize. Their SpaceX Dragon capsule — currently parked at the International Space Station for NASA — will launch no earlier than mid-September, aiming for an altitude of 335 miles (540 kilometers). That’s 75 miles (120 kilometers) higher than the International Space Station and on a level with the Hubble Space Telescope. AdThe capsule will be outfitted with a domed window in place of the usual space station docking mechanism for their trip. The St. Jude physician assistant was treated there as a child for bone cancer.

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin stands on the lunar surface during the first moon landing in 1969. 1967: NASA's Lunar Orbiter missions completed photographic mapping of the moon. 2008: India's Chandrayaan 1 moon orbiter launched. 2009: NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter launched along with the LCROSS probe which crashed into the moon, revealing water ice. 2013: NASA's Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE) investigated the lunar atmosphere and dust.

This Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021 photo provided by NASA shows the Perseverance rover lowered towards the surface of Mars during its powered descent. (NASA via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The world got its first close-up look at a Mars landing on Friday, as NASA released a stunning picture of its newest rover being lowered onto the dusty red surface. NASA equipped the spacecraft with a record 25 cameras and two microphones, many of which were turned on during Thursday’s descent. It's the ninth time that NASA has successfully landed on Mars __ and the fifth rover. As it did with 2012's Curiosity rover — still roaming 2,300 miles (3,750 kilometers) away — NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter photographed Perseverance descending beneath its massive parachute.

Satellite Beach resident and Apollo 11 moonwalker Buzz Aldrin posted a photo on Twitter getting his first vaccine shot a couple of days before his 91st birthday, according to reporting from Florida Today. Received my first Covid-19 vaccine today, a couple of days prior to my 91st birthday. Special thanks go to two outstanding patriots, Vlad Ghenciu Esq and Brian M Cronin, for their invaluable assistance, and to my organization, Buzz Aldrin Ventures LLC for permanent support. pic.twitter.com/oONTtlIIgd — Dr. Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) January 19, 2021Sporting an Apollo 11 50th anniversary t-shirt and his trademark suspenders, Aldrin said getting the COVID-19 vaccine was painless. “I urge everyone to sign up for a vaccination as soon as possible when eligible to do so, so that life can return to normal soon,” Aldrin tweeted.

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, seen here in a 2019 Veteran's Day parade in New York City, has received his first vaccination shot for COVID-19. Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who landed on the moon over 51 years ago, received his first COVID-19 vaccine Monday (Jan. 18), just before his 91st birthday on Jan. 20. "Received my first Covid-19 vaccine today, a couple of days prior to my 91st birthday," Aldrin tweeted Monday afternoon. Related: Coronavirus outbreak: Live UpdatesReceived my first Covid-19 vaccine today, a couple of days prior to my 91st birthday. Special thanks go to two outstanding patriots, Vlad Ghenciu Esq and Brian M Cronin, for their invaluable assistance, and to my organization, Buzz Aldrin Ventures LLC for permanent support.

The Force is strong will all the Baby Yoda gifts available this year. Baby Yoda Funko Pop! Star Wars: Baby Yoda deals Reduced Price Funko Pop! Star Wars: Escape from Death Star(Image credit: Hasbro)Old-school Star Wars fans will love this retro Escape From Death Star game, including a retro collection Grand Moff Tarkin action figure. Baby Yoda Chia Pet(Image credit: Joseph Enterprise)Even plant-lovers can get in on the Baby Yoda craze this holiday season.

Most rockets launching from the Space Coast travel east over the ocean, but to reach for polar orbit, the Falcon 9 had to veer south. A polar orbit is just what it sounds like -- the satellite orbits around the North and South poles -- which is better for imaging, spy and weather satellites. Making history with this polar orbit launch could mean more business for the Elon Musk-led company and his competitors. Until now, most American rockets aiming for a polar orbit have launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California in order to avoid traveling over populated areas. This means we could see even more traffic at the Cape for those heading into a polar orbit.

(SpaceX via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – It’s back to the future as NASA astronauts launch again from the U.S. — aboard a retro-style “Right Stuff” capsule. SpaceX’s Dragon crew capsule outshines NASA’s old Apollo spacecraft in virtually every way. This fresh take on a vintage look will be on full display Wednesday when SpaceX plans to launch NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken to the International Space Station — a first for a private company. Russia’s workhorse Soyuz capsules, still in use after a half-century plus, have kept NASA astronauts flying to the space station. A test dummy soloed on last year’s Dragon crew capsule debut.

It will be the first astronaut launch from NASAs Kennedy Space Center since the last shuttle flight in 2011. They'll catch a ride to the launch pad in a Tesla Model X electric car. It will be the first astronaut launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center since the last shuttle flight in 2011. The worm adorns the Astro-Tesla, Falcon and even the astronauts' suits, along with NASA’s original blue meatball-shaped logo. The white-suited Hurley and Behnken will transfer from the white Tesla to the white Dragon atop the equally white Falcon 9.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – The first astronauts launched by SpaceX are breaking new ground for style with hip spacesuits, gull-wing Teslas and a sleek rocketship — all of it white with black trim. They'll catch a ride to the launch pad in a Tesla Model X electric car. It will be the first astronaut launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center since the last shuttle flight in 2011. The worm adorns the Astro-Tesla, Falcon and even the astronauts' suits, along with NASA’s original blue meatball-shaped logo. The white-suited Hurley and Behnken will transfer from the white Tesla to the white Dragon atop the equally white Falcon 9.

President Donald Trump reacts to audience members during a campaign rally at Drake University, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020, in Des Moines, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)If you need help with the Public File, call 407-291-6000.

“We’re really looking to giving a very, very positive message,” Trump told reporters Sunday during a Super Bowl watch party. “This has been a very partisan process and this is an opportunity for him to unify the country around opportunities for all Americans," added White House spokeswoman Jessica Ditto. But it's one the White House believes will reach a broader audience and have a more potent impact given the venue, especially among independent voters. Yet Trump made no direct reference to the shutdown in the speech he eventually delivered to a newly divided Congress. In past years, the White House has tried to connect with audiences at home by highlighting the stories of guests invited to the speech.

Legendary astronaut Buzz Aldrin celebrated his 90th birthday on Monday, commemorating the occasion with a message to his 1.5 million Twitter followers. I came into this world in NJ on 1-20-30, and my mother was Marion Moon Aldrin and my father Edwin Aldrin. — Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) January 20, 2020Born Jan. 20, 1930, Aldrin grew up in Montclair, New Jersey and joined the famous Apollo 11 crew because of his specialized study of rendezvous. Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the lunar surface almost seven hours later. Buzz Aldrin Ventures created a page where fans can send a birthday message to Aldrin here.

The "Meet the Legends" exhibit at Madame Tussauds in D.C. features relaunched sculptures of Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong as well as a lunar module where guests can pose to take photos with the astronauts. Now, the astronauts involved in the mission are getting a permanent photo-op thanks to Madame Tussauds newest additions to its attraction in the US capital. In conversation with Madame Tussauds' General Manager Therese Alvich, Stern explained just how significant the moon landing was for science and technology. "We are about to enter a new age of exploration with the Artemis Project, which will send astronauts to the moon in the 2020s. That will be in preparation for sending astronauts to the surface of Mars in the 2030s and beyond.

Later, the Apollo 14 and 15 missions would also add similar arrays to the surface. This allows researchers to determine the moon's orbit, rotation and its current orientation, which will be needed to land on the moon. Previously it was believed that the moon had a solid core, but data from the arrays has revealed that the core is fluid. Until 1964, there weren't any closeup or detailed photos of the lunar surface. In 1964, Ranger 7 successfully reached the moon and returned 4,316 images of the surface before it collided intentionally with the surface.

Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were able to secure lunar samples from the surface of the moon from the Apollo 11 mission and bring them back to Earth. However, in order to ensure that it was safe to store lunar samples on Earth, scientists had to run a number of tests to make sure contamination was not possible, according to NASA. "We had to prove that we weren't going to contaminate not only human beings, but we weren't going to contaminate fish and birds and animals and plants and you name it," said Charles Berry, head of medical operations during Apollo, in an oral history. "They didn't find any microbial growth on the lunar samples, and they didn't have any microorganisms that they at least initially attributed to any extraterrestrial source or lunar source," said Hayes. It wasn't until after the Apollo 14 mission in 1971 that NASA felt it was safe enough to stop testing on animals and to end the quarantine process for astronauts and lab technicians working with any lunar samples.

Wednesday marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 command module splash down in the Pacific Ocean after Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins successful mission to the moon. The Apollo 11 crew and a Navy diver await pickup after splashdown in the Pacific Ocean on July 24, 1969. [Read the Apollo 11 re-entry and splash down flight journal log here.] A half-century later, NASAs Commercial Crew astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken will become the first astronauts to splash down in an American spacecraft since the Apollo program. This story is part of ClickOrlando.com and News 6's Apollo 11 50th anniversary special.

We honor these men today, and America will always honor our Apollo astronauts.Armstrong, the first man on the moon, died in 2012 at age 82. Trump instead repeated his interest in a NASA mission that would take astronauts directly to Mars, a vastly more challenging and costly endeavor. Slideshow (15 Images)To get to Mars, you have to land on the moon, they say. Any way of going directly without landing on the moon? Is that a possibility? the Republican president asked Bridenstine during an event in the White House Oval Office.

To pull it off, the Apollo astronauts and the teams that supported them put in grueling hours of training. Cool'The Apollo 11 crew of Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins traveled 240,000 miles in 76 hours to reach the moon. The Apollo 11 astronauts, meanwhile, had more than 70 food items to choose from. 400,000 people worked on the Apollo 11 missionThe full triumph of Apollo 11 doesn't just belong to the astronauts. Over the years, Apollo Mission Control and its surrounding rooms fell into disrepair.

Apollo 11 tapes sold at auction at Sotheby's for $1.82 million on July 20, 2019, on the 50th anniversary of the lunar landing. Sotheby's said Saturday that NASA videotapes depicting the Apollo 11 lunar landing on this day 50 years ago were sold in New York for $1.82 million. People celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission in other ways across the U.S. on Saturday, including with "Run to the Moon" races and other festivities, the Associated Press reported. Sotheby's, which agreed to be acquired for $3.7 billion last month by a company owned by French billionaire Patrick Drahi, has sold several other items associated with Apollo 11 this month, including pages from the mission's flight plan. WATCH: What's next for NASA on 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 moon landing

Vice President Mike Pence confirmed Saturday the U.S. first will return to the moon, and then Mars, in upcoming space travel. Meeting with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin on Friday, Mr. Trump grilled NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine about the logistics of getting a man on Mars. "We don't know what we're going to find on Mars, but it certainly is going to be a trip that's very interesting," Mr. Trump said. When Aldrin and another astronaut, Michael Collins, said they believed the trip should be directly to Mars, Mr. Trump seemed to agree. Major Garrett's full interview with Vice President Mike Pence will be available on "The Takeout" podcast on Tuesday, July 23, 2019.

A moonstruck nation celebrated the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11's "giant leap" by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin at parties, races, ball games and concerts Saturday, toasting with Tang and gobbling MoonPies. At NASA 's Kennedy Space Center, Aldrin showed Vice President Mike Pence the launch pad where he flew to the moon in 1969. And where better to celebrate than Apollo, Pennsylvania located in Armstrong County not far from Moon Township and the town of Mars. "This is what we're here for, to share the American space experience," explained executive director Karan Conklin, who led the toast. The crew deliberately modeled its mission patch after Apollo 11's: no astronaut names included to show the universal nature of space flight.

Its been 50 years since Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin set foot on the surface of the moon. A half-century later, the moon landing still resonates. Google created a breathtaking portrait of unsung Apollo software pioneer Margaret Hamilton using moonlight reflected on 107,000 solar panel mirrors. AdvertisementIn a Times video series, meet more of the female computers, engineers and scientists who made the moon landing a reality, like Poppy Northcutt, Christine Darden and Sheila Thibeault. The moon landing left a lasting impression on many of those who followed along, regardless of their age, background or where they were living.

Apollo 11 astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins reunited Friday on the eve of the 50th anniversary of humanity's first moon landing. "We're bringing the glamour back" to the space program, Trump said. The vice president is commemorating Saturday's anniversary at Florida's Kennedy Space Center, visiting the launch pad where Apollo 11 blasted off. NASA televised a two-hour show Friday afternoon remembering Apollo 11 but also looking forward to its future moon plans. ___Follow AP's full coverage of the Apollo 11 anniversary at: https://apnews.com/Apollo11moonlanding___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education.

They huddled in front of televisions at home and gathered in auditoriums and schoolrooms as the Apollo 11 astronauts ventured onto another world for the first time. The Apollo 11 landing was during his second week at Camp Watonka in Hawley, Pennsylvania. ------[READ MORE APOLLO 11 ANNIVERSARY COVERAGE]------In King, North Carolina, then 14-year-old Cathy Goff, an avid Star Trek and science fiction fan, followed Apollo 11 closely, cutting newspaper clippings about the mission for a school science project:"I remember my mother letting my sister and me stay up late to watch the moonwalk. I had a model of the Apollo 11 rocket, the lunar module, and the Star Trek Enterprise on my desk. I still have my scrapbook of newspaper clippings starting one week before blast off until the day the astronauts came out of quarantine on the Apollo 11 mission.

"Apollo 11 ... was serious business. Another spectator, Karin Wise, of Jonesboro, Georgia, was 19 during Apollo 11 and recalled being glued to TV coverage. Back at Kennedy, NASA televised original launch video of Apollo 11, timed down to the second. The crowd also included members of NASA's next moon management team, including Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, launch director for the still-in-development Space Launch System moon rocket. The lone female launch controller for Apollo 11, JoAnn Morgan, enjoyed seeing the much updated- firing room.

They huddled in front of televisions at home and gathered in auditoriums and schoolrooms as the Apollo 11 astronauts ventured onto another world for the first time. The Apollo 11 landing was during his second week at Camp Watonka in Hawley, Pennsylvania. I had a model of the Apollo 11 rocket, the lunar module, and the Star Trek Enterprise on my desk. I still have my scrapbook of newspaper clippings starting one week before blast off until the day the astronauts came out of quarantine on the Apollo 11 mission. ___Follow AP's full coverage of the Apollo 11 anniversary at: https://apnews.com/Apollo11moonlanding___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education.

Since the Apollo 11 moon landing; 50 years ago, when the historic landing comes up in conversation the first names that pop up are those of astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldin. Prior to Apollo 11, Collins piloted the three-day Gemini 10 mission in 1966 and became the nation's third space walker. While many people think Collins missed out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, the Apollo 11 astronaut says he has no regrets. However, if it were up to the former Apollo 11 astronaut, NASA would be focused on Mars first. This story is part of ClickOrlando.com and News 6's Apollo 11 50th anniversary special.

Ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, News 6 is celebrating the legacy of American space exploration and wants to hear what influence the U.S. space program has had on you. For those who weren't around or are too young to remember the Apollo 11 moon landing we want to hear from you, too. Is there a space shuttle launch that you witnessed or did you see a photo taken by a NASA spacecraft -- such as the Hubble Space Telescope or NASA's Saturn probe Cassini --, that changed the way you think about space exploration? From now until July 16, News 6 will be collecting Apollo 11 and space memories from its viewers that could air on WKMG or be included in ClickOrlando.com articles. For more News 6 Apollo 11 50th anniversary coverage, visit ClickOrlando.com/space and tune in July 16 when WKMG airs a full day of space coverage, looking back to the historic moon landing, what's happening on the Space Coast now and what the future of space exploration holds.

"Apollo 11 ... was serious business. Back at Kennedy, NASA televised original launch video of Apollo 11, timed down to the second. The crowd also included members of NASA's next moon management team, including Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, launch director for the still-in-development Space Launch System moon rocket. Blackwell-Thompson said she got goosebumps listening to the replay of the Apollo 11 countdown. The lone female launch controller for Apollo 11, JoAnn Morgan, enjoyed seeing the much updated- firing room.

"Apollo 11 ... was serious business. Another spectator, Karin Wise, of Jonesboro, Georgia, was 19 during Apollo 11 and recalled being glued to TV coverage. Back at Kennedy, NASA televised original launch video of Apollo 11, timed down to the second. The crowd also included members of NASA's next moon management team, including Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, launch director for the still-in-development Space Launch System moon rocket. The lone female launch controller for Apollo 11, JoAnn Morgan, enjoyed seeing the much updated- firing room.

CAPE CANAVERAL It took 400,000 people to put Apollo 11's Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon a half-century ago. As Apollo 11 loomed, Morgan's boss went to the top to get her on liftoff duty. With Armstrong, Aldrin and Michael Collins on their way, her job was done, at least for Apollo 11. With an hour remaining in the countdown, the pad was evacuated by everyone except the Apollo 11 crew. Looking back, he's still in awe at what the Apollo astronauts accomplished.

Duggins used Lego bricks to recreate the iconic photo of Buzz Aldrin walking on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. Using Lego bricks, the 36-year-old Orlando resident has recreated space scenes such as the Atlantis launch, Buzz Aldrin on the moon and a shuttle in low Earth orbit. Duggins' started combining his passion for Lego, space and photography almost three years ago in September 2016. Jonathan Duggins Duggins recreated the iconic photo of Buzz Aldrin on the moon using Lego bricks. Jonathan Duggins An astronaut made of Lego bricks floats inside a space station.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. – Fifty years ago this July 16, Saturn V launched Apollo 11 to the moon. More than one million people gathered on the Space Coast to watch Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins lift off for the moon from Kennedy Space Center. Ahead of the 50th anniversary of the moon landing News 6 created a hotline for viewers to record their Apollo 11 memories. The historic moon landing happened eight years after President John F. Kennedy declared his vision of putting a man on the moon. Above is a photo of the Indian River, which is about 4 miles west of the Kennedy Space Center.

Associated PressKENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. - Fifty years ago this July 16, Saturn V launched Apollo 11 to the moon. More than one million people gathered on the Space Coast to watch Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins lift off for the moon from Kennedy Space Center. Ahead of the 50th anniversary of the moon landing News 6 created a hotline for viewers to record their Apollo 11 memories. PHOTO CREDIT: Florida Memory ProjectThe Kennedy Space Center was originally the NASA Launch Operations Center. PHOTO CREDIT: Florida Memory ProjectAbove is a photo of the technical lab at Patrick Air Force Base.

The six Apollo missions that landed on the moon produced 96 bags of waste. According to the NASA History Office, white jettison bags, or trash bags, are definitely still on the moon, some containing astronaut poop. AN ASTRONAUT FAMILY PHOTOCharles Duke was only 36 years old when he stepped on the moon during Apollo 16, the youngest man to do so. One company tried to say it was their golf ball, and we cut them off very quickly, Shepard told NASA. The astronaut sued a ball manufacturer who claimed to have made the moon balls.

Astronauts studied moon mapping at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff where Pluto was discovered and peered at their eventual destination through telescopes at various northern Arizona sites. The region's role in moon missions is credited to former Geological Survey scientist Gene Shoemaker, who moved the agency's astrogeology branch to Flagstaff in 1963. Harrison "Jack" Schmitt was the only Apollo astronaut who didn't train at the national park. The eventual lunar rover used in three Apollo missions famously got a broken fender on a 1972 mission to the moon. He and John Young, who were on Apollo 16, named a moon crater "Flag Crater."

Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and astronaut Buzz Aldrin talk to “Face the Nation” host John Dickerson about their shared passion for space exploration, the government’s goals for Mars and more

The latest on the 2016 campaign trail, Hillary Clinton's emails, and the European migrant crisis with Republican presidential Carly Fiorina, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Buzz Aldrin, and others.

Buzz Aldrin, the second man to land on the moon, describes the riskiest thing he ever did -- and it’s not landing on the moon. He says it was being in combat in Korea.

The latest on the 2016 campaign trail, Hillary Clinton’s emails, and the European migrant crisis with Republican presidential Carly Fiorina, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Buzz Aldrin, and others.

Buzz Aldrin recalls how he ended up on a mission to the moon Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, speaking at an event honoring Neil Armstrong, described how he wound up on the first mission to the moon. Aldrin and others were celebrating the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on the moon.