July 05, 2024

Michael Collins (Astronaut) Age, Death, Biography, Wife, Children, Family, Facts, Wiki & More

Updated On : April 29, 2021

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Short Biography

Michael Collins was born on 31-10-1930 in Roma, Italy. He was an American Astronaut, Pilot, Businessperson & Autobiographer.

Michael Collins Complete Bio & Career

Collins attended the St. Albans School in Washington, DC, and then studied at the Military Academy in West Point.
 
Collins decided to join the United States Air Force. After his pilot training, he flew fighter jets at various bases of the US Air Force, including from 1954 to 1957 in France. When he returned to the US, he started working as a trainer and from 1960 as a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base in California. He involved in the selection of the companies that made the spacesuits for NASA.  In July 1965, he was assigned as a replacement pilot for the long-term flight of Gemini 7 in December. On January 25, 1966, NASA announced that Michael Collins would become the pilot of Gemini 10, under the command of John Young. This flight took place from 18 July to 21 July 1966 and was the first in which both coupling and a space escape were carried out. On December 22, 1966, he was nominated as a pilot of an Apollo spaceship, which should test in December 1967 under the command of Frank Borman, the new lunar module in an Earth orbit. 
 
 The scheduled December 1967 flight was moved to December 1968. Instead of a test of the lunar module, a direct flight to the moon with Apollo 8 should now be performed, but Collins had to leave the team in mid-1968 for health reasons because disc problems had developed in the cervical region, which had an effect on his legs. Collins underwent surgery and had to wear a neck brace for several months.
 
After his recovery in late 1968, he was nominated as a pilot of the Apollo 11 command capsule. Commander of Apollo 11 was to become Neil Armstrong. At this time it was not yet clear whether the first manned moon landing could be carried out with Apollo 11, this was only after the successful flights of Apollo 9 and 10 Apollo fixed.
 
Collins also designed the Mission Badge of Apollo 11, depicting an eagle landing on the moon. The flight of Apollo 11 took place from July 16 to July 24, 1969. As Armstrong and Aldrin descended to the lunar surface with the Eagle Ferry and became the first humans on the Moon, Collins remained in orbit alone. From1970-71 he left NASA and started working as Secretary of State for Public Relations. Collins became the first director of the National Air, Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC His job was to advance the planning, and construction of the new museum building and the inauguration took place just before the 200th anniversary of the US on 1 July 1976.
 
In 1978, Collins took over other senior roles within the Smithsonian Institution. In the same year, he left the US Air Force in the rank of Brigadier General. From 1980 to 1985, he worked for LTV Aerospace & Defense, since then he ran his own company.
 
He died on 28-04-2021 at the age of 90.

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Health Issues, Illness and Death Info

He died at the age of 90 from cancer on 28-04-2021 in Naples in the state of Florida, United States.  

DEATHDAY 28 April,2021 (Sunday)
DEATH PLACE Naples, Florida
DEATH COUNTRY United States

Michael Collins Family, Relatives and Other Relations

He was born to an army officer father James Lawton Collins and a mother Virginia Stewart Collins. He had a brother named James Lawton Collins Jr.. A senior Army Officer J. Lawton Collins (Joseph Lawton Collins) was his uncle. He was married to Patricia M. Finnegan from 1957 to 2014. He had two daughters named Kate Collins (actress), and Ann Collins, and a son named Michael Collins Jr..

Life's Important Dates Of Michael Collins

Shocking / Interesting Facts & Secrets About Michael Collins

  • Collins was the first astronaut to leave the spaceship twice during a spaceflight and the first to move from space to space in space.
  • He became the first person moving in space from one spacecraft to another under Gemini 10 mission.
  • He was the Second human being alone in lunar orbit under Apollo 11 mission.
  • He became the first director of the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC
  • In 1969, he received the Medal of Freedom ("The Presidential Medal of Freedom"), which is the highest civilian honour in the US.
  • The lunar crater Collins and the asteroid (6471) Collins are named after him.
  • Michael Collins is one of the few astronauts who is a member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

Michael Collins Age, Birthday Facts and Birthday Countdown

Michael Collins was 90 years 5 months & 28 days old age.