Michael Collins (astronaut)

Michael Collins was a pilot.

He flew fast jet planes. He also flew in space.

He went to the Moon in 1969. His ship went around the Moon thirty times. He stayed in his ship while others walked on the Moon. He was a very brave man.

He won special gold medals for his work. He helped us learn about our world and space.

Michael Collins was a brave American astronaut and pilot.

He was born in Rome in 1930. His father was a leader in the Army. Collins followed his family into military service. He went to the West Point academy.

He learned to fly many types of jet planes. He even worked as a test pilot. This job helps pilots test new planes safely.

In 1963, NASA chose him to be an astronaut. He flew in space two times. His first trip was on Gemini 10 in 1966.

During that trip, he went on a spacewalk. A spacewalk is when an astronaut walks outside a ship.

In 1969, he flew on the famous Apollo 11 mission. He flew the command module named Columbia.

While Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the Moon, Collins stayed in orbit. He circled the Moon thirty times. He was the second person to orbit the Moon alone. He won many awards for his great work in space.

Michael Collins was a famous American astronaut and a skilled pilot.

He was born on October 31, 1930, in Rome, Italy. His father was a U.S. Army officer stationed there. Because of his father's job, Collins lived in many places. He lived in Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, and Texas during his youth. He eventually followed his family into military service. He graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1952.

Collins worked very hard to become a great pilot. He first learned to fly in a T-6 Texan. Later, he flew many different types of jet aircraft. He even became a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base.

A test pilot flies new or experimental planes to see how they work. He used planes like the F-86 Sabre and the F-104 Starfighter. He spent over 3,000 hours flying during his career. This training prepared him for the hard jobs in space.

NASA chose Collins to be an astronaut in 1963. He was part of a group of 14 new astronauts.

His first trip to space was on the Gemini 10 mission in 1966. During that mission, he performed extravehicular activities, which are also called spacewalks. This means he stepped outside the spacecraft while in orbit. He was the first person to perform more than one spacewalk. He worked with pilot John Young to meet other spacecraft in space.

In 1969, Collins flew on the famous Apollo 11 mission.

He flew the command module, which was named Columbia. While Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the Moon, Collins stayed in space. He orbited the Moon thirty times while his crewmates were on the surface.

This made him the second person to orbit the Moon alone. He was one of only 24 people to ever fly to the Moon. He was also the fourth person to ever do a spacewalk.

After his time at NASA, Collins held many important jobs. He worked for the Department of State in Washington, D.C.

He also served as the director of the National Air and Space Museum. Later, he worked for the Smithsonian Institution and a company called LTV Aerospace.

For his great service, he received many honors. He was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969. He also received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2011.

Michael Collins was a distinguished American astronaut and a highly skilled military pilot.

He is best known for his role in the Apollo 11 mission, where he orbited the Moon in the command module Columbia. While his crewmates, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, landed on the lunar surface, Collins remained in space to ensure their safe return. His career spanned several vital roles in aviation and space exploration. He served as a test pilot and a major general in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

His life was defined by a deep commitment to flight and scientific discovery.

Collins was born on October 31, 1930, in Rome, Italy. His father, James Lawton Collins, was a U.S. Army officer serving as a military attaché. Because of his father's career, Collins moved frequently during his first 17 years. He lived in many locations, including Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, and Texas.

He eventually moved to Washington, D.C., where he attended St. Albans School. Following a family tradition of military service, he attended the United States Military Academy at West Point. He graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor of Science degree in military science. His class was quite large, containing 527 cadets, and included future astronaut Ed White.

After graduating, Collins joined the United States Air Force to pursue a career in aeronautics. He underwent extensive flight training, starting with the T-6 Texan in Mississippi. He eventually mastered jet aircraft, including the F-86 Sabre. This training was often dangerous; during one period at Nellis Air Force Base, eleven people died in accidents. Collins became a test pilot, which is a pilot who flies experimental aircraft to evaluate their performance.

He attended the Aerospace Research Pilot School, where he learned to handle high-performance jets like the F-104 Starfighter. He also gained experience with the B-52 Stratofortress. By the time he applied to NASA, he had accumulated over 3,000 flying hours.

In 1963, NASA selected Collins as part of its third group of 14 astronauts. This group was unique because the members were younger and more highly educated than previous groups. The average age for this group was 31 years old. On average, these astronauts had 5.6 years of tertiary education, which refers to university-level learning.

Collins' training included 240 hours of spaceflight basics. This curriculum included 58 hours of geology, the study of rocks and Earth's physical structure. Although he found geology difficult to grasp, it was a required part of his preparation for planetary exploration.

Collins flew in space twice during his career. His first mission was Gemini 10 in 1966, where he served alongside Command Pilot John Young.

During this mission, they performed an orbital rendezvous, which is the process of two spacecraft meeting in orbit. Collins also performed two extravehicular activities, commonly known as spacewalks. This made him the first person to perform more than one spacewalk. His work on Gemini 10 helped prove that astronauts could maneuver effectively outside of a spacecraft.

His most famous achievement occurred during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969.

Collins was one of only 24 people to ever fly to the Moon. He served as the pilot of the command module, Columbia. While the lunar module descended to the surface, Collins orbited the Moon thirty times. This role made him the second person to orbit the Moon alone. He also became the fourth person in history to perform a spacewalk. His precise piloting was essential for the mission's success and the crew's eventual return to Earth.

After retiring from NASA in 1970, Collins transitioned into several leadership roles in public service. He worked for the Department of State as the Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs. He also served as the director of the National Air and Space Museum from 1971 to 1978.

Later, he held a position as undersecretary of the Smithsonian Institution and worked in the private sector at LTV Aerospace. In 1985, he established his own consulting firm. For his monumental contributions to science and exploration, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2011.