Editing Buzz Aldrin (section)

== Mission to Mars advocacy ==
[[File:Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin tries out Microsoft HoloLens (29794543715).jpg|thumb|upright|Aldrin at a preview of the Destination: Mars experience]]
After leaving NASA, Aldrin continued to advocate for space exploration. In 1985 he joined the [[University of North Dakota]] (UND)'s [[John D. Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences|College of Aerospace Sciences]] at the invitation of John D. Odegard, the dean of the college. Aldrin helped to develop UND's Space Studies program and brought [[David C. Webb|David Webb]] from NASA to serve as the department's first chair.<ref>Rice, Daniel R. (1992). The Clifford Years: The University of North Dakota, 1971–1992. p. 46.</ref> To further promote space exploration, and to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first lunar landing, Aldrin teamed up with [[Snoop Dogg]], [[Quincy Jones]], [[Talib Kweli]], and [[Soulja Boy]] to create the rap single and video "Rocket Experience", proceeds from which were donated to Aldrin's non-profit foundation, [[ShareSpace foundation|ShareSpace]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Jacqui |last=Goddard |url=http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/music/article2417581.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131231034423/http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/arts/music/article2417581.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 31, 2013 |title=Buzz Aldrin and Snoop Dogg reach for the stars with Rocket Experience |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=June 25, 2009 |access-date=November 10, 2018}}</ref> He is also a member of the [[Mars Society]]'s Steering committee.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |title=Steering Committee – 2022 |url=https://www.marssociety.org/steering-committee/ |access-date=July 19, 2022 |website=Mars Society |language=en}}</ref>

In 1985, Aldrin proposed a special spacecraft [[trajectory]] now known as the [[Aldrin cycler]].<ref>Aldrin, E.E., "Cyclic Trajectory Concepts", SAIC presentation to the Interplanetary Rapid Transit Study Meeting, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, October 1985.</ref><ref>{{cite journal |author1=Byrnes, D.V. |author2=Longuski, J.M. |author3=and Aldrin, B. |title=Cycler Orbit Between Earth and Mars |journal=Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets |volume=30 |issue=3 |year=1993 |pages=334–336 |doi=10.2514/3.25519 |url=https://engineering.purdue.edu/people/james.m.longuski.1/JournalArticles/1993/CyclerOrbitbetweenEarthandMars.pdf |access-date=October 25, 2015 |bibcode=1993JSpRo..30..334B}}</ref> Cycler trajectories offer reduced cost of repeated travel to Mars by using less propellant. The Aldrin cycler provided a five and a half month journey from the Earth to Mars, with a return trip to Earth of the same duration on a twin cycler orbit. Aldrin continues to research this concept with engineers from Purdue University.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://buzzaldrin.com/space-vision/rocket_science/aldrin-mars-cycler/ |title=Aldrin Mars Cycler |publisher=buzzaldrin.com |access-date=August 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180819114408/https://buzzaldrin.com/space-vision/rocket_science/aldrin-mars-cycler/ |archive-date=August 19, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 1996 Aldrin founded Starcraft Boosters, Inc. (SBI) to design reusable rocket launchers.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://buzzaldrin.com/space-vision/rocket_science/starbooster/|title=Buzz Aldrin Astronaut Apollo 11, Gemini 12 &#124; Starbooster |website=buzzaldrin.com |access-date=July 21, 2019}}</ref>

In December 2003, Aldrin published an opinion piece in ''[[The New York Times]]'' criticizing NASA's objectives. In it, he voiced concern about NASA's development of a [[Orion (spacecraft)|spacecraft]] "limited to transporting four astronauts at a time with little or no cargo carrying capability" and declared the goal of sending astronauts back to the Moon was "more like reaching for past glory than striving for new triumphs".<ref name="Fly Me To L1">{{cite news |last=Aldrin |first=Buzz |title=Fly Me To L1 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=December 5, 2003 |url=http://buzzaldrin.com/space-vision/rocket_science/l1-gateport |access-date=November 14, 2009}}</ref>

In a June 2013 opinion piece in ''The New York Times'', Aldrin supported a [[human mission to Mars]] and which viewed the Moon "not as a destination but more a point of departure, one that places humankind on a trajectory to homestead Mars and become a two-planet species."<ref>{{cite news |last=Aldrin |first=Buzz |title=The Call of Mars |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/14/opinion/global/buzz-aldrin-the-call-of-mars.html |date=June 13, 2013 |newspaper=The New York Times |access-date=June 17, 2013}}</ref> In August 2015, Aldrin, in association with the [[Florida Institute of Technology]], presented a master plan to NASA for consideration where astronauts, with a tour of duty of ten years, establish a colony on Mars before the year 2040.<ref>{{cite news |last=Dunn |first=Marcia |title=Buzz Aldrin joins university, forming 'master plan' for Mars |url=http://apnews.excite.com/article/20150827/us-sci-buzz-aldrin-c7bc5ba293.html |date=August 27, 2015 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=August 30, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904072417/http://apnews.excite.com/article/20150827/us-sci-buzz-aldrin-c7bc5ba293.html |archive-date=September 4, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>