Buzz Aldrin attacks US space program and calls on Australia and others to join race to the moon

Buzz Aldrin has a plan for the next “giant leap” and it includes an alliance by the world’s superpowers and Australia.

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin has made a rare public appearance where he launched a stinging attack on America’s space program, calling it “very discouraging” and “not very good”.

As the US prepares to mark the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, Aldrin told a crowd in Huntsville, Alabama that there had been little advancement by NASA since he stepped on the Moon’s surface.

“It is very disappointing to me and many others to realise that the top heavy-lift rocket that the US has today, the Space Launch System, and the top spacecraft the US has today, the Orion, cannot get into lunar orbit with any appreciable manoeuvring capability,” he said.

“That is not very good for 50 years of development.”

Aldrin made the comments at the US Space & Rocket Centre under a Saturn V rocket like the one developed in Huntsville which took him, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins to the Moon half a century ago.

“Many of us who followed Neil may still feel we are waiting for that giant leap after landing on the Moon,” he said.

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Former NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin makes his entrance with girlfriend Anca Faur at an Apollo 11 anniversary celebration dinner. Picture: AFP

The 89-year-old said he had a plan that would help advance American space exploration, including establishing a “space alliance” involving NASA, Europe, Russia, China and Japan, as well as commercial companies. He said countries like Australia and India could get involved later.

“My greatest good fortune was to join Neil and Mike on the Saturn V that day,” he said. “Now, I look forward to America’s leading role in a next-step alliance.”

“We can’t pay for all of it,” he said. “We have to learn at the moon by bringing in the other nations that want to go there for the first time.”

“Then we can all put together what is really needed (financially) to get to Mars,” he said. “I’m probably not too popular but things are going to change. We can’t afford to be unsuccessful in what we choose to do. I’m very encouraged that I’m on the right track.”

Aldrin said when the Apollo 11 crew did a world tour after returning to Earth they were “pleasantly surprised to see signs that said ‘We did it.’ Not just ‘you did it.’” He said the world shared the achievement and that through a space alliance it could share in future achievement as well.

Former NASA astronaut Buzz Aldrin delivers a speech during an Apollo 11 anniversary celebration dinner. Picture: AFP

After opening up the floor for questions, Aldrin was asked what he would say to sceptics who doubted that he had actually walked on the Moon.

“Join the crowd that’s going to charge into Area 51,” he said, referring to the million people who replied to a Facebook event saying they would storm the desert research facility, which conspiracy theorists believe houses aliens. “Maybe you’ll find out there.”

Aldrin’s comments came amid much excitement about the 50th anniversary of the July 20, 1969 launch of Apollo 11 into space.

The Washington Monument acted as a backdrop for a life-sized 110-metre projection of the Saturn V rocket which drew thousands of onlookers.

Google also released a Google Doodle to mark the anniversary of the Moon landing, as well as an animated interactive in which Collins provides his unique perspective on the historic voyage.