Chapter 4 - After the astronautics: life and reception

Life after the astronautics was the toughest part for Aldrin. First there were 3 months of absolute joy and the 3 new heroes were invited on every occasion. It started with an invitation by the president for a dinner with all governors on august 13 in Los Angeles.
The three men were flattered by the attention but this was just the beginning of a exhausting and long period of constant ceremonies. Aldrin said to be surprised more by what happened on known earth than on the unknown moon. Their 'Giant Leap Tour' had put them in the picture enough and they wanted to recover from this overwhelming attention.

Aldrin started to feel sad and self-contained during the trip. Reasons could not be found, except maybe a midlife-career-crisis. Aldrin had the opportunity to fly two more Apollo missions, but by then he already realised that his life without astronautics would be too empty. Attention faded away (maybe too much) and for the first time he could spend more time with his family than at NASA. Because he had never done this before and because of his extramarital affair, he felt ashamed towards his family. His problems got worse and he found no support in the presbyterian church, his children, his wife or his psychiatrist. Instead, he started drinking.

In june 1971 he felt the time right to resign at NASA and try to solve his problems at his new job at USAF. But this job for the astronauts education didn't help and his physical and mental health was diminishing. Buzz even was admitted on the psychatric department of the USAF hospital. Even after dismission, his condition was bad and his wife obtained a divorce. After consultation at his new psychatrist, he found out that his upbringing by his father made him so dependent on astronautics and military life. During this period without a good family ties or job, he wrote his autobiography 'Return to earth' (1973). He wrote very openly about his severest problems and emotions.

After this consideration of his problems, he tried to selve them by changing jobs. However, his new job at Volkswagen and alcohol didn't help him. He even married his new live, Beverly van Zyle, but even with her help he couldn't stop the dirnking. After this was the reason for Beverly to obtain a divorce, Aldrin was fed up with it. His true Aldrin spirit (which Aldrin Sr. again had credit to) 'I can, I want and I will', he got over his situation.

Suddenly his attitude was much more positive and he became chairman of the National Association for Mental Health. He used his experiences to provide information as a spokesman in the whole country. Aldrin however is still searching for a new goal in his life. He tried it as a scientist, audio-video technician and science-fiction author, but couldn't find it. He overcomes a new, small, depression and the new married couple Buzz and Rose Aldrin are happy together.

Nowadays Aldrin seems to have a new space aviation fascination; human exploration on Mars. He designed the 'Cycler', a system of two 'space metros' which travel between Earth and Mars at a speed of 22,000 km/h. By using the gravitations of the several planets, in this method it is possible to transport humans every 13 months from (20 days, in one metro) and to Mars (150 days, in the other).

After all, one can say that Aldrin had an enormous influence on the preparation and execution of the trip to the moon, mainly by his studies on EVA and rendez-vous. Even modern space aviation benefits from his investigations on satellites, Mars and planetary orbits.

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