Buzz Aldrin, second to walk on the Moon, gets married on his 93rd birthday

Sylvie Claire / January 23, 2023

The legendary American astronaut Buzz Aldrin, member of the Apollo 11 mission and second human being to set foot on the Moon, announced that he got married on Friday, for his 93rd birthday, to his long-time girlfriend.

Aldrin and Anca Faur, executive vice president of Buzz Aldrin Ventures, formalized their union in a private ceremony. "On my 93rd birthday (...) I am pleased to announce that my longtime love, Dr. Anca Faur, and I have been married," the astronaut tweeted, attaching a photo of him and Ms. Faur, who is 63, according to U.S. media. "We were joined in holy matrimony in a small private ceremony in Los Angeles (western U.S.) and are as excited as teenage runaways. »

According to her LinkedIn profile, Anca Faur earned a PhD in chemical engineering in 1996 from the University of Pittsburgh (East). Prior to joining Buzz Aldrin Ventures, she worked for chemical companies Union Carbide and Johnson Matthey. She was also treasurer of a hydrogen and fuel cell lobby, the California Hydrogen Business Council.

The American astronaut is the last survivor of the Apollo 11 mission, during which he and Neil Armstrong became the first humans to set foot on the Moon, on July 20, 1969. Michael Collins, the third member of the mission, who piloted the command module that remained in lunar orbit while his crewmates walked on the surface of the Moon, died in April 2021 and Mr. Armstrong in 2012.

After leaving the U.S. space agency (Nasa) in 1971, Buzz Aldrin remained a strong supporter of space travel. A crater on the Moon, located near the Apollo 11 landing site, bears his name.