Buzz Aldrin, Defending Spaceflight With His Fists

Buzz Aldrin is an astronaut right out of the pages of a sci-fi novel, for at least two reasons.
One, he's actually been to the moon. Two, he's not afraid to throw his fists at people who think he's lying about it.

Time Magazine today offers ten questions from readers for Aldrin, the NASA astronaut who followed Neil Armstrong onto the Moon's surface.

Aldrin struggled with depression and alcoholism after leaving NASA, but has more recently returned to a very public role in promoting space exploration. He serves on the National Space Society's board of governors, works with the Planetary Society, and voiced his own character on a spacegoing episode of T*he Simpsons. *

When asked what he thinks of conspiracy theorists who think the whole moon landing story is bunk, he has this to say:

I lost my patience once and socked a guy, which created great publicity and cost me some legal fees. You are not going to change the minds of people who are looking for attention.

Read the rest; Aldrin remains one of the greats.

10 Questions for Buzz Aldrin [Time]

(Photo: Aldrin on the surface of the moon, during the Apollo 11 mission. Credit: NASA)