When and where was Michael Collins born?
Michael Collins entered the world on the 31st of October 1930, inside a hospital in Rome, Italy. His father James Lawton Collins served as the United States military attaché to that country at the time.
Questions about Michael Collins (astronaut)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What role did Michael Collins play during the Apollo 11 mission?
Collins served as Command Module Pilot for Apollo 11 while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the Moon. He orbited the lunar surface thirty times alone aboard the Columbia spacecraft.
How many spacewalks did Michael Collins perform during Gemini 10?
This made him the first person to perform two spacewalks within a single mission. The actual launch occurred from Launch Complex 19 at Cape Canaveral on the 18th of July 1966.
Who succeeded Michael Collins as Director of the National Air and Space Museum?
Collins held the directorship until 1978 when he stepped down to become undersecretary of the Smithsonian Institution. Congress approved $13 million plus contract authority of $27 million on the 10th of August 1972.
When did Michael Collins die and how old was he?
He died of cancer at his home in Naples, Florida, on the 28th of April 2021, at age 90. He lived with his wife Pat in Marco Island, Florida, and Avon, North Carolina until her death in April 2014.