Stunning, crystal-clear color glossy 14 x 11 photo of Aldrin performing one of his three record-setting Gemini 12 spacewalks, signed in silver ink, "Buzz Aldrin, 'Dr. Rendezvous.'" In very fine condition.
Aldrin was the first of the astronaut corps to earn a doctorate degree, writing his graduate thesis on 'line-of-sight guidance techniques for manned orbital rendezvous.' He once explained the origin of this nickname: 'Flying a spacecraft is very different than flying a plane. There is no true up or down and the dynamics of orbital flight make maneuvering to dock, or rendezvous, two spaceships very complex. I focused my research on solving the problems of speed and centrifugal energy which lead to an 'orbital paradox'—a situation in which a pilot who speeds up to catch another craft in a higher orbit will end up in an even higher orbit, traveling at a slower speed and watching the second craft fly off into the distance. The solution to this paradox is counter intuitive, and required new orbital mechanics and procedures. Later, after joining the NASA astronaut corps, I spent time translating complex orbital mechanics into relatively simple flight plans for my colleagues—they thanked me (with a mixture of respect and sarcasm) with the nickname Dr. Rendezvous.'
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