International Moon Day 2022: Buzz Aldrin Had to Pass Through Customs After 8-Day Trip in Space

Have you heard astronauts filing their customs paperwork once their space mission is complete? It seems that Buzz Aldrin, a NASA astronaut who participated in the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, had this strange encounter precisely in time for the 2022 celebration of International Moon Day.

"Imagine spending 8 days in space, including nearly 22 hours on the Moon and returning home to Earth only to have to go through customs," Buzz Aldrin tweeted.

The Apollo 11 astronauts' copy of the U.S. Customs form reveals that their cargo included lunar pebbles and some moon dust samples.

"Yes, it's authentic," NASA spokesperson John Yembrick told Space.com. "It was a little joke at the time."

NASA reports that on July 16, 1969, Apollo 11 lifted off Cape Kennedy and began its four-day journey toward the Moon. It arrived at the Moon on July 20, the same year.

The spacecraft entered its initial lunar orbit insertion maneuver somewhere during the mission, which also made the astronauts inaccessible through their communications equipment from the planet.

Apollo 11 astronauts arrived on Earth via the U.S.S. Hornet aircraft carrier. They were held in quarantine for three weeks in a tiny trailer. Some would ask why. They did this to ensure they hadn't brought any pathogens back from the Moon. These astronauts reportedly left the U.S.S. Hornet wearing biological containment suits.

ALSO READ: NASA Moon Landing Remembered: Buzz Aldrin Recalls This 'One Giant Leap' for Lunar Exploration 

National Moon Day: How Apollo 11 Managed to Land on Moon

The fact that Apollo 11 touched down on Earth's lone satellite at 20:17 PM on July 20, 1969, provided more fun in the Customs story than reality. First Post wrote that Commander Neil Armstrong took his first steps on the lunar surface six hours after touching down on July 21. Live coverage of Armstrong's first footfall on the Moon was provided.

Buzz Aldrin, the lunar module driver, arrived 19 minutes after Armstrong, and the two spent nearly 2.5 hours outside the ship. To return to Earth, they gathered 21.5 kg of lunar material.

Command module pilot Michael Collins, who had piloted the Columbia by himself in lunar orbit while he waited for the other two, was also a part of the crucial operation.

Before they took out to reunite with Collins in the command module Columbia, Armstrong and Aldrin had spent around 21 hours at a location known as Tranquility Base on the lunar surface. After spending more than eight days in space, the group returned to the planet and touched down in the Pacific Ocean on July 24.

Moon Landing: How a Giant Step for Mankind Made a Difference

The moon landing ended the space competition, which put the U.S. in the lead position for future space travel and exploration.

The Moon Landing is a significant event in the world's history. Time Magazine said Neil Armstrong put his left foot on the lunar surface and famously declared, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

In its resolution 76/76 on "International cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space," the General Assembly had formally named International Moon Day, a United Nations designated day to be observed every year on July 20.

After over 50 years since the previous arrival, there are now initiatives underway to launch a lunar mission that will return humanity to the Moon, this time with Artemis I and the first woman to step foot there.

RELATED ARTICLE: Did Neil Armstrong Leave His Space Boots on the Moon During Apollo 11 Mission? Apparently Not!

Check out more news and information on Space in Science Times.