Eileen Marie Collins (b. 19 November 1956 in Elmira, New York) is an American astronaut and a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel. A former military instructor and test pilot, Collins was the first female pilot and first female commander of a Space Shuttle.
Early life
Collins’ parents are James Collins, a surveyor and postal worker, and Rose Marie. She has three siblings. As a child, Collins expressed an interest both in space flight and in being a pilot.
After graduating from Elmira Free Academy in 1974, Collins attended Corning Community College where she earned an associate degree in mathematics/science in 1976. She graduated from Syracuse University in 1978 and then earned a master of science degree in operations research from Stanford University in 1986 and a master of arts degree in space systems management from Webster University in 1989.
Air Force experience
Collins completed her U.S. Air Force undergraduate pilot training in 1979, after which she was a T-38 instructor pilot until 1982. From 1983 to 1985, Collins was an instructor pilot and aircraft commander on the C-141 Starlifter. From 1986 to 1989, she was an assistant professor of mathematics and a T-41 instructor pilot at the United States Air Force Academy. She was selected for NASA’s astronaut program while attending the prestigious U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, from which she graduated in 1990. She has logged more than 6,000 hours in 30 different types of aircraft.
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Collins also participated in the U.S. invasion of Grenada, evacuating medical students and their families off the island as part of Operation Urgent Fury in 1983.
She retired from the Air Force as a Colonel in January 2005.
Astronaut experience
Collins first flew the Space Shuttle as pilot in 1995 aboard STS-63, which involved a rendezvous between Discovery and the Russian space station Mir. In recognition of her achievement as the first female Shuttle Pilot, she received the Harmon Trophy. She was also the pilot for STS-84 in 1997.
Collins next commanded STS-93, launched in July 1999, which deployed the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. This was Shuttle Columbia’s penultimate completed mission, the final one being STS-109, which flew in March 2002. The Columbia was later lost in the Columbia disaster (STS-107) on 1 February 2003.
Collins recently commanded STS-114, NASA’s “return to flight” mission to test safety improvements and resupply the International Space Station (ISS). The flight was launched on 26 July 2005, and returned on 9 August 2005. During STS-114, Collins became the first astronaut to fly the space shuttle through a complete 360-degree pitch maneuver. This was necessary so astronauts aboard the ISS could take photographs of the shuttle’s belly, to ensure there was no threat from debris-related damage to the shuttle upon re-entry.
Personal life
Collins married pilot Pat Youngs in 1988; the couple have two children, Bridget (born 1995) and Luke (born 2000). Bridget was born several months after Collins’ first shuttle mission, making Collins quite possibly the first person to be pregnant in space. Female astronauts are now required to return a negative pregnancy test before each mission.
Awards and honors
Collins has received the Defense Superior Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for service in Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury), the French Legion of Honor, and NASA’s Outstanding Leadership Medal and Space Flight Medals.
The main entrance boulevard to Syracuse Hancock International Airport is named in Collins’ honor.
Source: Wikipedia
