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Astronaut Buzz Aldrin is Being Emergency Evacuated From the South Pole (businessinsider.com)

Posted by msmash on from the what's-happening dept.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced Thursday morning that it will provide a "humanitarian medical evacuation flight" from the South Pole for an "ailing" Buzz Aldrin. BusinessInsider adds: Aldrin was the second man to walk on the moon, joining Neil Armstrong in the Apollo 11 Lunar Module in July 1969. He has since become an author and advocate for crewed missions to Mars. He is 86, and no further information is available as to his condition. The NSF's statement said that an NSF plane will fly Aldrin from the Amundsen-Scott research station at the South Pole to McMurdo Station on the Antarctic coast. At that point ski-equipped LC-130 cargo planes flown by the 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard will haul him to New Zealand "as soon as possible."

4 of 192 comments (clear)

  1. Re:What by CohibaVancouver · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What is Buzz Aldrin doing at the South Pole?

    Being awesome, most likely.

  2. Re:What by Rei · · Score: 5, Funny

    Or, for that matter, the POTUS's two adult sons. I always forget their names... Uday and Qusay?

    --
    People said I was dumb, but I proved them.
  3. Most Interesting Man in the World by Tablizer · · Score: 5, Insightful

    [What's he doing there?] Being awesome, most likely.

    Buzz is the real Most Interesting Man in the World.

    Rode on the first moon landing, punched a conspiracy troll in the face, explores the Antarctic at 86, and has a cool name.

    Buzz for Prezz!

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  4. Re:What by Immerman · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Honestly, at that age your remaining days are numbered, and it's not a big number. So your only real options lie on the spectrum between:

    1) Live as safely as possible, taking no risks, including indulging in any pleasures that might increase those risks (that would be most of them), and try to put off dying as long as possible at any cost.

    2) Do anything you want, knowing that your time is running out, and that even if it kills you didn't really have much left to lose anyway.

    Personally I have a lot more respect for those who lean towards the latter. The former seems to me to have little to do with living, and much to do with fearing the inevitable.

    --
    --- Most topics have many sides worth arguing, allow me to take one opposite you.