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In 蜜糖直播-Boulder visit, Buzz Aldrin says it鈥檚 all about Mars.

No one would say Buzz Aldrin thinks small.

In a March 3 visit to 蜜糖直播-Boulder, the pioneering moonwalker stumped for one of his favorite causes 鈥� the human colonization of Mars.

鈥淲e can begin as early as 2018,鈥� Aldrin, 85, told a capacity crowd at Macky Auditorium.

Lest anyone think his long-standing desire to reach the Red Planet had diminished with age, he specified that humans should 鈥� and could 鈥� establish a 鈥減ermanent presence on Mars鈥� by 2040, and described a plan for making it happen through a series of way stations.

Aldrin walked the moon on July 21, 1969, following Apollo 11 mission commander Neil Armstrong onto the surface. They were the first humans to do it.

The audience burst into a standing ovation the moment Aldrin arrived on the Macky stage.

The former Air Force fighter pilot once known as 鈥淒r. Rendezvous鈥� described key moments of his Apollo 11 journey, including the descent to the moon鈥檚 surface, the blank darkness of the lunar sky and a famous picture Armstrong took of him. In it, Armstrong and the lunar landing craft are reflected in the visor of Aldrin鈥檚 helmet.

鈥淲hy is this picture so great?鈥� said Aldrin. 鈥淚 have three words: location, location, location.鈥�

Aldrin was the guest of the Distinguished Speakers Board.

His plan for reaching Mars involves a series of floating and anchored way stations, including a colony on the moon, which he called 鈥渁n affordable stepping stone.鈥�

Asked where humans should go after they reach the Red Planet, he said, 鈥淚 think we鈥檒l have our hands full with Mars.

Photography by Casey A. Cass