Michael Collins (astronaut)

Michael Collins (October 31, 1930 – April 28, 2021) was an American astronaut and test pilot. He was the pilot of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon.

Michael Collins
Born	(1930-10-31)October 31, 1930 Rome, Italy
Died	April 28, 2021(2021-04-28) (aged 90) Naples, Florida, U.S.
Resting place	Arlington National Cemetery
Nationality	American
Occupation	Test pilot
Space career
Astronaut
Rank	Major General, USAFR
Time in space	11d 02h 04m
Selection	1963 NASA Group
Missions	Gemini 10, Apollo 11
Mission insignia

Air force pilot

Collins went to the United States Military Academy. After training, he joined the United States Air Force. He flew F-86s at Chambley-Bussieres Air Base, France. He got into the USAF Experimental Flight Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in 1960. He tried to get into the second astronaut training group but he was not accepted. He did get into the third group.

Astronaut

Collins joined the third group of fourteen astronauts in 1963. He had 2 space flights. His first spaceflight was in Gemini 10. With John Young they joined up in space with two different spacecraft. Collins also did two space walks.

His second space flight was in Apollo 11 where he was the command module pilot. While he kept going around the Moon, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the lunar surface. He is one of only 24 people to have flown to the Moon.

Later life and death

Collins left NASA in 1970. He took a job in the Department of State as Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs during the Richard Nixon presidency. A year later he became the director of the National Air and Space Museum. He did this job until 1978. He then became the undersecretary of the Smithsonian Institution. In 1980 he took the job as Vice President of LTV Aerospace. He left in 1985 to start his own business.

He was married to Patricia. They have three children: Kate, Ann and Michael, Jr. Kate is an actress, best known for her role as Natalie Marlowe Dillon in the daytime television drama All My Children.

Collins died of cancer in Naples, Florida on April 28, 2021 at the age of 90.

Michael Collins (astronaut) Media

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  Vector SVG version of the Gemini 10 mission insignia

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  1969 commemorative plaque in via Tevere, Rome, marking Collins' birthplace

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  ARPS Class III graduates. Front row: Ed Givens, Tommie Benefield, Charles Bassett, Greg Neubeck and Collins. Back row: Al Atwell, Neil Garland, Jim Roman, Al Uhalt and Joe Engle

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  Collins (right) with John Young (left) and a model of their Gemini spacecraft and Titan II booster

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  John Young (left) and Michael Collins aboard the recovery ship

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  Agena Target Docking Vehicle photographed near the Gemini 10 spacecraft

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  Collins (center) with William Anders (left) and Frank Borman (right)

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  The Apollo 11 lunar landing mission crew, pictured from left to right, Neil A. Armstrong, commander; Michael Collins, command module pilot; and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr., lunar module pilot.

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  Collins in the command module simulator