Michael Collins, the 'forgotten astronaut' of Apollo 11 dies, age 90 Sometimes referred to as the "forgotten" member of the historic Apollo 11 mission — Michael Collins never got to walk on the moon, but has been hailed as a "true pioneer." US astronaut Michael Collins piloted the spacecraft on the Apollo 11 mission that first saw humans walk on the moon US astronaut Michael Collins, who piloted the ship on the historic Apollo 11 mission that saw the first humans walk on the moon, died on Wednesday. He was 90 years old. Collins' family said he died following a battle with cancer. Remembering the 'forgotten' astronaut