Return to Earth (film) Return to Earth (film) Return to Earth is a 1976 American biopic TV movie that originally aired on May 14, 1976 on ABC. The film stars Cliff Robertson as astronaut Buzz Aldrin and Shirley Knight as Joan Aldrin. Based upon Aldrin's 1973 book of the same name, the film dramatizes the emotional difficulties of Aldrin's life following his trip to the moon on Apollo 11. The film was directed by Jud Taylor, and Aldrin served as a consultant. Based upon his own book of his ordeals, the film is story of Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk upon the
Buzz Aldrin trailblazing mission; rendezvous from above had already been successfully performed by Gemini 9, and the tethered vehicle exercise by Gemini 11. Even gravity-gradient stabilization had been attempted by Gemini 11, albeit unsuccessfully. Gemini 12 was launched from Launch Complex 19 at 20:46 UTC on November 11, 1966. The Gemini Agena Target Vehicle was launched about an hour and a half before. The mission's first major objective was to rendezvous with this target vehicle. As the target and Gemini 12 capsule drew closer together, radar contact between the two deteriorated until it became unusable, forcing the crew to rendezvous manually. Aldrin