Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins, the so-called forgotten astronaut from the historic 1969 moon landing, has died.
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Thomson Reuters ·
Posted: Apr 28, 2021 1:26 PM ET | Last Updated: April 28
Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins s official portrait is seen in this July 1969 photo from NASA. (NASA/Reuters) comments
American astronaut Michael Collins, who stayed behind in the command module of Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969 while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin travelled to the lunar surface to become the first humans to walk on the moon, died on Wednesday at age 90, his family said.
A statement released by his family said Collins died of cancer.
Often described as the forgotten third astronaut on the historic mission, Collins remained alone for more than 21 hours until his two colleagues returned in the lunar module. He lost contact with mission control in Houston each time the spacecraft circled the dark side of the moon.
Michael Collins, who circled the moon while Apollo 11 crewmen landed, dies at 90
He kept the command module going and running through the 117-page list of contingencies he d prepared in the event anything went awry.
By Sarah KaplanThe Washington Post
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Apollo 11 command module pilot astronaut Michael Collins takes a break during training for the moon mission, in Cape Kennedy, Fla., in 1969. Collins, who piloted the ship from which Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin left to make their historic first steps on the moon in 1969, died Wednesday of cancer. Associated Press
On July 20, 1969, eight years after President John F. Kennedy pledged to land a man on the lunar surface and return him safely to Earth, astronaut Michael Collins sat alone in the command module Columbia. He was floating 60 miles above what he later called the “withered, sun-seared peach pit” of the moon.
Michael Collins dead: First Moon landing astronaut dies aged 90
Moon landing hero Michael Collins has died aged 90. His family paid tribute to his wise perspective, gained both from looking back from Earth from the vantage of space
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Michael Collins, the forgotten astronaut of Apollo 11, dies at 90
Often described as the forgotten third astronaut on the historic mission, Collins remained alone for more than 21 hours until his two colleagues returned in the lunar module.
Written By:
Rosalba O Brien / Reuters | 12:15 pm, Apr. 28, 2021 ×
Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins speaks at a panel discussion on the 50th anniversary of the launch, in Cocoa Beach, Florida, U.S., July 16, 2019. REUTERS/Joe Skipper/File Photo
April 28 (Reuters) - American astronaut Michael Collins, who as pilot of the Apollo 11 command module stayed behind on July 20, 1969, while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin traveled to the lunar surface to become the first humans to walk on the moon, died on Wednesday at age 90, his family said.