Nasa boss visits Buzz Aldrin in Christchurch hospital
Nasa's deputy administrator Dava Newman has visited Buzz Aldrin as the former astronaut continues to recover in Christchurch Hospital after falling ill in Antarctica.
The 86-year-old was flown to Christchurch with fluid in his lungs after successfully reaching the South Pole earlier this week.
Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, on Saturday tweeted an image of himself with his friend Dr Newman, who he said "beat me to the South Pole by one day".
Aldrin travelled to Antarctica with tourism company White Desert.
I had a surprise visitor this morning. My longtime friend @DavaExplorer @NASA Dep Administrator. She beat me to the South Pole by one day. pic.twitter.com/NMKEAcxs65
— Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) December 2, 2016
He was flown from the South Pole to the US research facility at McMurdo Station where he received treatment from the US Antarctic Program medical team before flying to Christchurch.
His website said was responding well to antibiotics and was in good spirits.
A former fighter pilot, Aldrin stepped on the moon about 20 minutes after Neil Armstrong took the historic first step in July 1969.
Their moonwalk as part of the Apollo 11 lunar landing was watched by a then-record television audience of 600 million people.
– With NZN
