Space Programs

The Apollo Missions

Who were the astronauts onboard Apollo 11?

American astronauts Neil Armstrong (1930–2012), Edwin Eugene “Buzz” Aldrin (1930–), and Michael Collins (1930–) were aboard Apollo 11 when it made its historic trip to the Moon. Armstrong was born in Ohio and became a fighter pilot for the U.S. Navy. He earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineering, and joined the astronaut corps in 1962. Aldrin grew up in Montclair, New Jersey, served as a fighter pilot for the U.S. Air Force, and earned his doctorate in astronautics before joining the NASA astronaut corps in 1963. Collins attended the U.S. Military Academy, then served as a pilot in the Air Force, eventually earning the rank of major general. As did Aldrin, he joined the NASA astronaut corps in 1963. All three of them had one spaceflight experience before going to the Moon—Armstrong on Gemini 8, Collins on Gemini 10, and Aldrin on Gemini 12.

