Buzz Aldrin bid farewell to "Dancing With the Stars" Tuesday night, but the astronaut said he was proud of his performance.
"I'm very proud to have had the opportunity to inspire a number of us who are trying to keep very active," Aldrin said on "Good Morning America" today.
Aldrin and his professional partner, Ashley Costa, had the lowest score from the judges this week, earning 13 points out of a possible 30. But the fan favorite wowed the crowd with his performance and his elimination was met with groans.
Kate Gosselin escaped elimination for the second week in a row, despite turning in a performance that earned 15 points and that judge Carrie Ann Inaba called "odd" and "hard to watch."
Aldrin said he hoped his appearance on the show would bring attention to the space program.
"I'm really looking forward to making some major contributions to the administration's policy that will be carried out by the Congress for the benefit of all those who have worked so hard for so many years" on the space program," said Aldrin, who piloted the first manned lunar landing. "The airspace industry defends our country.
"I did this show for the fighter pilots out there, the military people and the elder geezers like me who would just like to see an elder come back week after week," Aldrin said on the show.
Judge Bruno Tonioli said that Aldrin's waltz to "What a Wonderful World" was "regal," but Carrie Inaba didn't think his dancing improved this week and Len Goodman said "the technique was poor. As much as I like you and thought the dance was charming, it wasn't a great dance."
Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek and partner Anna Trebunskaya led the way this week, with a score of 26 points. Also at the head of the pack were Erin Andrews and Nicole Scherzinger.
Shannen Doherty was the first star sent home from the 10th season of "Dancing With the Stars." The actress' father recently had a stroke, and, she said, "I did do this for him.
"My dad doesn't have his speech 100 percent back yet, but the first words he learned were 'I love you,'" Doherty said on "Good Morning America." "He was crying, and he said, 'I love you and I'm proud of you.'"
After the first two nights of dancing, Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger held the lead with 53 out of 60 possible points.
Scherzinger and partner Derek Hough earned the first 10s of the season from judges Inaba and Tonioli for their jive. Tonioli called her performance "phenomenal."
"I have never seen a jive that good the second week," he said.
Scherzinger admitted in practice to being a little afraid of judge Len Goldman, and he lived up to his tough reputation.
He told Scherzinger, "I think you are a very talented dancer, you just need to do something that satisfies my taste."
Following close behind Scherzinger in total points were Olympic gold medalist Evan Lysacek with 47/60, sportscaster Erin Andrews with 44/60 and Pamela Anderson with 43/60.
But Anderson and partner Damian Whitewood were in the bottom two during the first elimination.
"You have so much sex appeal [that] people forget, but you can dance Pamela," Tonioli said of her foxtrot in week two.
Inaba said the actress "channeled Marilyn Monroe."
Kate Gosselin's partner, Tony Dovolani, walked out of a rehearsal, saying, "I quit," and "I've never been questioned as a teacher before" in a clip that aired Monday night. He returned to practice and the two performed a second-week jive to "I'm Still Standing," but Gosselin didn't show much improvement from her debut. Tonioli called the dance "a nightmare."
Goodman told her that "nerves are breaking you at the moment. What's the worst thing that could happen? Come out and go for it. Go out fighting."
"The Bachelor" Jake Pavelka was praised for his "great energy" by Tonioli, and Inaba said he was "a joy to watch."
Even Goodman said the pilot showed "a lot of potential."
Forty million people watched the first night of "Dancing With the Stars," making it the most-watched premiere ever. The star-studded cast also included NFL star Chad Ochocinco, actor Aiden Turner and host and comedienne Niecy Nash.
Watch "Dancing With the Stars" Monday at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.