Brazil, Republic. An Order of Solidarity, Commander to NASA Apollo 11 Astronaut Buzz Aldrin

In gilt metal, a red enamelled Maltese cross with small ball finials, the obverse medallion features a blue globe with latitude and longitude with the inscription SOLIDARIEDADE, the reverse is plain with the central medallion featuring the inscription ORDEM DA SOLIDARIEDADE MERITO CULTURAL, the cross is surmounted by a small gilt wreath, measures 37.0mm (w) x 47.5mm (h), weighs 15.5 grams (including ribbon), worn on original silk red, white and green ribbon, wreath is slightly bent, enamel intact, areas of gilt wear, in very fine condition. Accompanied by a miniature of the order in gilt and enamels, measures 16.7mm (w) x 21mm (h) , light wear, in very fine condition.

Contained in a fitted case, not original to order, black lacquered exterior, padded leatherette interior, measures 100mm (w) x 100mm (l) x 40mm (d), light wear, hinge functional, in very fine condition.

Accompanied by documents of the Apollo 11 World Tour relating to the United Kingdom, including: an itinerary from October 14 to October 15, 1969, hotel room assignments for the travelling members, a Department of State booklet of Background Notes of the United Kingdom, and a separate 11-page document providing information on the United Kingdom (including media, the royal family, aerospace-relations, and copies of the speeches from the astronauts).

Footnote: The Apollo 11 launched from Cape Kennedy on July 16 1969, carrying three astronauts: Commander Neil Armstrong, Command Module Pilot Michael Collins and Lunar Module Pilot Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin.

Buzz Aldrin was born on January 20, 1930 in Glen Ridge, New Jersey. His father, Edwin Eugene Aldrin Sr. was an Army aviator during the First World War, later working at Standard Oil. Aldrin attended the United States Military Academy at West Point, graduating third in his class in 1951.

When the Korean War broke out, he joined the United States Air Force and underwent basic training in Florida. He served as a jet fighter pilot, flying 66 combat missions in a F-86 Sabre and shooting down two MiG-15 aircrafts. For his service in Korea, he was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses and three Air Medals.

Aldrin later attended MIT, earning a Doctor of Science degree in astronautics. His doctoral thesis entitled “Line-of-Sight Guidance Techniques for Manned Orbital Rendezvous” resulted in the nickname ‘Dr. Rendezvous.’ He was selected as a member of NASA’s Astronaut Group 3, making him one of fourteen individuals chosen for the Gemini and Apollo programs.

His first space flight took place in 1966 on Gemini 12, in which he spent over five hours on extravehicular activity. In 1969, Aldrin was the second person ever to set foot on the moon, 19 minutes after Commander Neil Armstrong. As a Presbyterian elder, he was the first person to hold a religious ceremony on the Moon when he privately took communion. They returned to earth by splashing into the Pacific on July 24th. The total duration of the missing was 195 hours, 18 minutes, and 35 seconds. Each astronaut was honored with a Presidential Medal of Freedom. At the end of September 1969, they embarked on a 38-day world tour, visiting 22 foreign countries.

In 1971, Aldrin left NASA and became the Commandant of the U.S Air Force Test Pilot School. He retired from the Air force in 1972, after 21 years of service. He continued to advocate for space exploration, struggled with alcoholism and depression, and created the Aldrin Cycler, a special spacecraft trajectory. In 2015, Aldrin, along with the Florida Institute of Technology pitched a master plan to NASA in which astronauts would create a colony on Mars before the year 2040. Aldrin is currently 92 and resides in Montclair, New Jersey. He is the only living Apollo 11 astronaut.

Provenance: Sotheby's Auction, Buzz Aldrin: American Icon 26 July 2022, Lot 52