Buzz Aldrin's South Pole photos show moments before he fell ill

  • 04/12/2016
Buzz Aldrin reaches the South Pole (Christina Korp/Twitter)
Buzz Aldrin reaches the South Pole (Christina Korp/Twitter)

New photos show 86-year-old former astronaut Buzz Aldrin completing his goal of making it to the South Pole in Antarctica.

But he didn't have long to celebrate, falling ill and being evacuated with fluid in his lungs.

Mr Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, says he "now holds the record as the oldest person to reach the South Pole at the age of 86".

He was flown from the South Pole to the US research facility at McMurdo Station where he received treatment from the US Antarctic Program medical team before flying to Christchurch.

He continues to recover in Christchurch Hospital. His website said was responding well to antibiotics and was in good spirits.

A former fighter pilot, Mr Aldrin stepped on the moon about 20 minutes after Neil Armstrong took the historic first step in July 1969.

Their moonwalk as part of the Apollo 11 lunar landing was watched by a then-record television audience of 600 million people.

Newshub.