Buzz Aldrin, 87, becomes oldest person to fly with Thunderbirds

April 3 (UPI) -- Astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second person to walk on the moon, became the oldest to fly with the Air Force Thunderbirds at age 87.

Aldrin flew in the Thunderbirds' diamond formation Sunday morning over the Kennedy Space Station where nearly 48 years ago Apollo 11 launched en route to the moon.

"Good to get back in the cockpit," Aldrin posted Sunday on Twitter. "I could get used to this."

Under his flight suit, Aldrin wore a T-shirt reading "Get your ass to Mars!" It was reference his hopes for a manned mission to the Red Planet.

Aldrin, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, was helping celebrate the military branch's 70th year -- two decades after he was born.

"In 1969, Buzz Aldrin broke barriers and set foot on the moon. He is a true American hero and pioneer. We are proud of his accomplishments and the legacy he represents every day," noted the team in a Facebook post after their flight.

He was strapped in with Thunderbird Lt. Col. Kevin Walsh to fly in the team's four-plane Diamond Formation before the start of Sunday's air show at Orlando Melbourne International Airport.

Aldrin was in the air for about 20 minutes, and flew over KSC Launch Complex 39A, the site of the moon launches.

On Monday, he posted on Twitter: Hey @elonmusk - I hope you don't mind but the @AFThunderbirds and I buzzed your @SpaceX launchpad yesterday. Pad 39-A!"

It was in reference to Elon Musk, the owner of SpaceX, which now uses the site to launch its rockets.

Aldrin lives in nearby Satellite Beach and is on staff at the Florida Institute of Technology.

He followed Neil Armstrong onto the lunar surface in 1969. Only 12 men have walked on the moon.