Buzz Aldrin: ‘We have the No. 1 rocket and spacecraft and they can’t get into lunar orbit’

The second man to walk on the moon says he’s “disappointed” with the progress America’s space program has made over the past 50 years.

US President Donald Trump speaks with Apollo 11 crew member Buzz Aldrin at the White House during a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. Picture: Brendan Smialowski/AFP

Speaking at a White House event honouring Apollo 11, Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, said he was “disappointed” with the progress America’s space program had made over the past 50 years.

“(I’m) disappointed in the progress in the past 50 years,” Aldrin said at the event held in the Oval Office, reports Fox News.

“We had a rocket, the Saturn 5. We have the (number one) rocket and spacecraft and they can’t get into lunar orbit. That’s a great disappointment to me.”

NASA’s Administrator Jim Bridenstine, who was also at the event, said the space agency is “working on it.”

US President Donald Trump speaks with Apollo 11 crew member Buzz Aldrin at the White House during a ceremony commemorating the 50th anniversary of the moon landing. Picture: Brendan Smialowski/AFP

Imagine my delight when I drove by the #WashingtonMonument and saw our rocket projected on its exterior for the #ApolloXI 50th Anniversary. #welldone https://t.co/oehrhecSNx pic.twitter.com/0rENwTZLwc

— Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) July 19, 2019

During the event, President Trump said that the Moon landing was “one of the greatest achievements ever,” before adding America would eventually go to Mars, noting that, “From a defence standpoint, it’s very important.”

Trump asked whether astronauts could go straight to Mars without first going to the Moon, to which Bridenstine said no, that a gateway is needed to eventually journey to the Red Planet.

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Just had an excellent meeting with President Donald Trump! We discussed America’s future in space, ways to address space challenges, and the need to keep exploring beyond the horizon. Keep America Great in Space!! #Apollo50 #ApolloXI https://t.co/zv2LgoCheD

— Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) July 19, 2019

President Trump welcomed Aldrin, fellow Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins and family members of Apollo 11 Mission Commander Neil Armstrong to the White House on Friday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing on July 20.

As part of the celebrations, a stunning image of the Saturn V rocket that carried Armstrong, Aldrin and Collins into space is being projected onto the Washington Monument this week.

Only 12 men, all Americans, have ever walked on the Moon.

- This article was originally published on Fox News and is repoduced with permission.