Aldrin Apollo 11 Suit

Three spacesuits were made for each Apollo astronaut assigned to a flight: a training suit, a backup suit, and a flight suit. The flight suit, of course, is the one which was worn on the actual flight. Many of the spacesuits displayed by museums around the country are the backup or training suits, with the Smithsonian retaining most of the flight suits.

The Smithsonian displays Buzz Aldrin's actual flight suit, the one he wore on the lunar surface. It is my understanding that at one time the Smithsonian displayed both Armstrong and Aldrin's suits simultaneously, but that they now alternate the suits in the display case, the other suit "resting" in an appropriate climate-controlled vault.

The suit is displayed without its helmet or gloves attached; I understand that ensuring airflow through the suit (rather than sealing the suit with helmets and gloves) is better for the preservation of the suit. The remaining components of the suit proper are displayed on the ground in front of the suit.

The Apollo to the Moon Gallery was very dark, and the Smithsonian does not allow the use of tripod photography. This meant flash photography through glass display cases.

The museum has renovated this gallery since my last visit, so this display is likely to be different than when photographed it.

Additional information on the various parts of the Apollo spacesuit can be found in the Extravehicular Mobility Unit chapter of the Biomedical Results of Apollo.

I have a number of resources regarding the Apollo spacesuit.