after being selected to become an astronaut in 1963, Collins logged 266 hours in space, including the Apollo 11 mission and the Gemini 10 spaceflight in 1966.
He left NASA in 1970, and later served as director of the National Air and Space Museum and as undersecretary of the Smithsonian Institution. He was awarded honorary degrees from six universities, and received the Presidential Medal for Freedom among the many accolades he received for his service. "It's a shame that when people are asked, 'Can you name the Apollo 11 crew.' Mike Collins is normally the name that doesn't come to mind," space historian Francis French said,."Because in many ways he was the keystone of the mission. He was the one who really knew how to fly the spacecraft solo and the only one who could get all three of them home."Collins was born in 1930 in Rome, Italy, and attended the U.S. Military Academy, graduating in 1952.
"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."Alexander Kacala is a reporter and editor at TODAY Digital and NBC OUT. He loves writing about pop culture, trending topics, LGBTQ issues, style and all things drag.