Michael Collins (astronaut)

Michael Collins (born in Rome, October 31, 1930) was an astronaut in the Gemini and Apollo space programs.

Related Topics:
Rome - October 31 - 1930 - Astronaut - Gemini - Apollo - Space

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He attended St. Albans School, then the United States Military Academy, from which he graduated in the Class of 1952. He was commissioned in the United States Air Force, and served as an F-86 pilot, then as the commander of a Mobile Training Detachment, and a Field Training Detachment at Chanute and Nellis Air Force Bases. In 1960, he was assigned to the Air Force Experimental Flight Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base. Following graduation, he was assigned to the Air Force Flight Test Center, also at Edwards AFB, where he tested various Air Force fighter planes.

Related Topics:
St. Albans School - United States Military Academy - United States Air Force - F-86 - Pilot - Chanute - Nellis Air Force Base - Edwards Air Force Base - Air Force Flight Test Center

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Collins joined NASA as part of the third astronaut group in 1963. He was the backup pilot of Gemini 7, and made his first spaceflight on Gemini 10. On this flight he and the mission commander John Young set a new record for the highest flight, 475 miles above the Earth. Collins made two spacewalks on this mission.

Related Topics:
NASA - Third astronaut group - Gemini 7 - Gemini 10 - John Young - Earth

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Collins was originally scheduled to fly as command module pilot of what would be Apollo 8 with Frank Borman and William Anders. However, in July 1968, he was diagnosed with a bone spur pressing on his spinal cord and was taken off the crew, to be replaced by Jim Lovell. Subsequent corrective surgery was successful, although for a time he was off flight status.

Related Topics:
Apollo 8 - Frank Borman - William Anders - Bone spur - Jim Lovell

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In July 1969, he flew as command module pilot of Apollo 11, which made the first lunar landing. Collins orbited the Moon in the CSM "Columbia", while his colleagues Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed and walked on the lunar surface. He was described at the time, as "the loneliest person on or off the planet." When the Command Module was on the opposite side of the moon, he was at least two thousand miles away from his fellow astronauts, and over two hundred thousand miles from the rest of humanity back on Earth.

Related Topics:
July - 1969 - Apollo 11 - Moon - Neil Armstrong - Buzz Aldrin

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As command module pilot of Apollo 11, Collins would probably have been scheduled to be backup commander of Apollo 14 and prime commander of Apollo 17. He declined to take up these positions however, and left NASA in January 1970.

Related Topics:
Apollo 14 - Apollo 17

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From 1971 to 1978, Collins was the director of the National Air and Space Museum. He resigned that post in April 1978 to become the Undersecretary of the Smithsonian Institution, a post he held until 1980.

Related Topics:
1971 - 1978 - National Air and Space Museum - Smithsonian Institution - 1980

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Collins wrote a book, Carrying the Fire ISBN 1885283148, about his experiences as an astronaut.

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Collins has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a small lunar crater (near the Apollo 11 landing site) and asteroid 6471 are named in his honor.

Related Topics:
Hollywood Walk of Fame - Lunar crater - Asteroid

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In the HBO miniseries From the Earth to the Moon, Collins was played by Cary Elwes.

Related Topics:
From the Earth to the Moon - Cary Elwes

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