Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Rock star reception for pioneering astronaut

Updated at 1:47pm on 13 March 2010

The second man to walk on the moon, Buzz Aldrin, says commercial space flights are key to the future of space exploration and the push to reach Mars.

Mr Aldrin, who was part of the first successful moon landing in 1969, is in Auckland for the Planet 2010 telecommunications conference.

He was given the rock star treatment, with hundreds of people wanting to hear him speak and many jostling for the chance for a photo with him afterwards.

He told the conference the story of his rise from being a fighter pilot in the Korean War to following Neil Armstrong onto the surface of the moon on 20 July 1969.

Afterwards he said it was important that humans continue the push to reach Mars, although the space race is moving away from governments.

Mr Aldrin's next challenge is a little more down to earth - he had his dance partner travelling with him as he prepares to appear on America's Dancing With the Stars television show.

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