I am sure you are aware by now that today July 20, 2017 is the forty eighth anniversary of Apollo 11 landing on the moon, It is a big day in American history. Believe it or not it is also a historic day in the history of the Masonic Fraternity.
Edwin Eugene (Buzz) Aldrin, Jr. the second man to step foot on the moon is a Master Mason. Brother Aldrin who is a member of Clear Lake lodge #1417 in Clear Lake, Texas. Before his historic journey Aldrin was given a special deputation by J. Guy Smith the then Grand Master of Masons within Texas. Aldrin was created as a Special Deputy of the Grand Master, granting unto him full power in the premises to represent the Grand Master as such and authorize him to claim Masonic Territorial Jurisdiction for The Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, on The Moon, and directed that he make due return of his acts. It was certified later that Aldrin did in deed carry this deputation to the moon aboard Apollo 11 and did in fact declare the moon under the Masonic Jurisdiction of Texas.
In honor of this historic event the Grand lodge of Texas chartered Tranquility Lodge #2000 This lodge was designed to work on the moon once it becomes possible for humans to reside on 
the moon on a regular basis. Until that time quarterly meetings are held in various places across the state of Texas. (By the way, any Master Mason who is in amity with the Grand Lodge of Texas can join Tranquility lodge. They have cool lapel pins and aprons! Get a petition by clicking here.)
Aldrin who is also a Scottish Rite Mason took a hand made silk Scottish Rite flag (Southern jurisdiction) on his trip to outer space and on his 
return presented to be displayed in the Scottish Rite Museum in Washington, DC. Surprisingly this was the second Scottish Flag to be taken into outer space. the first was carried by Brother Gordon Cooper in 1965.
