Buzz Aldrin, Your turn Published 11:24 a.m. ET July 22, 2020

If you live long enough, you see things come back around. New minds wrestle old problems.

Fifty-one years ago, Neil Armstrong and I walked on the moon thefirst humans to do so.Today, America is again headed for the moon and on to Mars. Americas new resolve is gratifying.There is a feeling of destiny to this moment.Having left prints on the moon, several thoughts sweep me.

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin waves as he is introduced to the crowd on the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing Saturday, July 20, 2019, at the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at Kennedy Space Center(Photo: Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY)

First, as Apollo 11 illustrated, Americans can achieve anything they put their minds to. We are an exceptional nation not one or two of us, but all of us. Our national past offers us courage, confidence, and a bearing for the future. We are right to have the moonand Mars again in our sights.

Second, while the past is an invaluable guide, history never repeats exactly. The Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs were driven by intense competition with our onetime adversary, the Soviet Union. We won that competition. Later missions were characterized by lunar exploration, advancing science, and international cooperation.

Third, America remains the undisputed leader in human space exploration. In the intervening five decades since Neil and I walked on the moon, no other nation has landed a man or woman on the moon. That said, leadership involves constant rethinking, a re-balancing of possibilities, and how best to gain worthy objectives.

Fourth, our new bipartisan commitment to putting a man and woman on the moon and humans on Mars will involve sustained, creative, honest leadership. As a nation, we must embrace risk, as space is a risky place. We will need mid-course corrections and willingness to make them. No risk, no reward. No accountability, no reliability.

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Finally, Americas exceptionalism, courage borne of achievement, historic leadership in space, and embrace of risk have practical implications. As never before, we must integrate public and private sector strengths, entertain greater international cooperationas after Apollo, and honestly reexamine our space architecture plans as they unfold.

The first two implications greater public-private coordination and international cooperation on a major issue might be made real by following President Eisenhowers Atoms for Peace example.

In a 1953 speech, President Eisenhower advanced the idea that nuclear technology what it promised and threatened might be better managed with international cooperation. From that speech grew the International Atomic Energy Agency and Treaty on Nuclear Non-Proliferation, making the world safer.

By comparison, this is the right time to configure a public-private international alliance tying together leading sovereign space agencies and top private sector space exploration companies.

Official photo of the Apollo 11 prime crew. From left to right are NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, Command Module pilot; and Buzz Aldrin, Lunar Module pilot.(Photo: NASA, NASA)

The Administration has taken a first step by suggesting the Artemis Accords, a treaty for peacefully exploring and managing the moon, but more should be done to assure a peaceful human space exploration. By sharing information up front, and throughout future human space exploration missions, big problems can be averted.

The third implication, honestly reexamining our space architecture, is on us. Eisenhower warned of a military-industrial complex placing gain above national interest. Today, we must be wary of a military-industrial-space complex. We need to constantly reevaluate costs and benefits, balance corporate contributions, includingpublic and private thinking,and ask: Is this the best way to get to the moon and Mars?

In short, 51 years after Neil and I walked on the moon, with Mike Collins in the command module and 600 million watching us,we have a new chance to reach outward and do great things. As America looks forward, we should maximize lessons from half a century to inform and inspirefuture human space exploration.

There is a feeling of destiny to this moment. Onward!

On July 20, 1969,Buzz Aldrinbecame one of the first two humans to set foot on the moon as part of the Apollo 11 mission. He's 90 years old and lives in Brevard County.

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Buzz Aldrin: In the 51 years since Apollo 11, we have learned many lessons | Opinion - Florida Today