Forgotten astronaut of Nasa's Apollo 11 dies at age of 90
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Florida, April 29: American Astronaut Michael Collins, who was a pilot of America's historic mission Apollo 11, spacecraft has passed away on Wednesday due to cancer. He was 90 years old.
During the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, Collins remained in lunar orbit while fellow crew members Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin descended to the moon`s surface in the lunar module. Michael is often addressed as the forgotten third astronaut in the . He stayed alone in the command module for twenty-one hours till his colleagues returned.
"Today the nation lost a true pioneer and lifelong advocate for exploration in astronaut Michael Collins. As pilot of the Apollo 11 command module -- some called him `the loneliest man in history` -- while his colleagues walked on the Moon for the first time, he helped our nation achieve a defining milestone. He also distinguished himself in the Gemini Program and as an Air Force pilot," NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk, said in a statement.
"NASA mourns the loss of this accomplished pilot and astronaut, a friend of all who seeks to push the envelope of human potential. Whether his work was behind the scenes or on full view, his legacy will always be as one of the leaders who took America`s first steps into the cosmos. And his spirit will go with us as we venture toward farther horizons," Jurczyk said.
He was born in Rome on October 31, 1930. He was the son of a US Army Major. He started his career as an Air Force Test pilot. His first Voyage mission was Gemini X. Gemini X was a part of the missions that prepared the Apollo Programme. His next and final spaceflight was Apollo 11.
He also wrote several books: "Carrying the Fire" in 1974, "Flying to the Moon and Other Strange Places" in 1976, "Liftoff: The Story of America`s Adventure in Space" in 1988, and "Mission to Mars" in 1990.
Apollo 11 was the spaceflight that landed the first humans on the moon. Armstrong was the first person to land on the moon. He was joined by Aldrin after nineteen minutes. They spent two and a quarter hours on the moon outside the spacecraft. They brought 21.5 kilograms of lunar material back to the earth. They named the site they spent on the lunar surface as Tranquillity Base.
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