th at the age of 90 after battling cancer.
Michael Collins made two spaceflights – he was part of the Gemini 10 mission that circled Earth in 1966 where he performed two spacewalks, and the second time was in July of 1969 when he was part of the first ever lunar landing on board the Apollo 11. While it was Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin who stepped foot on the lunar surface, Collins piloted the Command Module Columbia around the far side of the moon all by himself, earning him the nickname “the loneliest man in history”. In total, he spent over 266 hours in space. Prior to becoming an astronaut, he served in the United States Air Force where he flew F-86 fighter jets.
The San Diego Air & Space Museum Remembers Michael Collins
The San Diego Air & Space Museum Remembers Michael Collins
Michael Collins laying down, observing a checklist in a simulator of the command module.
The San Diego Air & Space Museum is remembering Michael Collins, the Command Module Pilot for the historic Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969 and a member of the prestigious International Air & Space Hall of Fame. Collins passed away on April 28, 2021. He was 90.
Since 1963, the International Air & Space Hall of Fame has honored the world’s most significant pilots, crew members, visionaries, inventors, aerospace engineers, business leaders, preservationists, designers and space explorers. Collins entered the International Air & Space Hall of Fame at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in 1971.
thank you to all involved in our clinical trials. finally tonight here, remembering apollo 11 astronaut michael collins and his journey to the moon. liftoff. we have a liftoff. liftoff on apollo 11. it was 52 years ago, apollo 11 landing on the moon. that s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. astronauts neil armstrong and buzz aldrin stepping foot on the moon s surface. mike collins alone now in the command module. michael collins staying back. he was the command module pilot.
Michael Collins Fast Facts
Personal
Death date: April 28, 2021
Birth place: Rome, Italy
Mother: Virginia (Stewart) Collins
Children: Michael, Ann and Kathleen
Education: United States Military Academy at West Point, B.S., 1952; Harvard University, Advanced Management Program, 1974
Military Service: US Air Force, 1952-1970, Major General
Other Facts
Collins completed two space flights during his career, logging 266 hours in space – 1 hour and 27 minutes of this was spacewalking.
Said he believes that extraterrestrials do exist, telling the New York Daily News in 1999: “It seems to me the height of arrogance to say that our little stupid sun off in one obscure corner of an odd galaxy called the Milky Way should be the only one in the whole universe capable of developing what we sometimes refer to as intelligent life.”
Michael Collins Fast Facts
Personal
Death date: April 28, 2021
Birth place: Rome, Italy
Mother: Virginia (Stewart) Collins
Children: Michael, Ann and Kathleen
Education: United States Military Academy at West Point, B.S., 1952; Harvard University, Advanced Management Program, 1974
Military Service: US Air Force, 1952-1970, Major General
Other Facts
Collins completed two space flights during his career, logging 266 hours in space – 1 hour and 27 minutes of this was spacewalking.
Said he believes that extraterrestrials do exist, telling the New York Daily News in 1999: “It seems to me the height of arrogance to say that our little stupid sun off in one obscure corner of an odd galaxy called the Milky Way should be the only one in the whole universe capable of developing what we sometimes refer to as intelligent life.”