The Lonely Astronaut of Apollo 11, Leaving Earth

Michael Collins Passes Away at 90
Supported Mission Alone in Command Module While Armstrong Landed on Moon
"A True Pioneer" Mourned

Michael Collins [Photo by AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] Michael Collins, the astronaut of Apollo 11, the spacecraft famous for carrying Neil Armstrong as the first human to land on the moon, has passed away at the age of 90.

On the 28th (local time), Collins' family released a statement saying, "Collins passed away after battling cancer," and "He spent his final days peacefully."

In response to the news of his passing, Buzz Aldrin, the astronaut who accompanied Apollo 11, posted a tribute on Twitter saying, "Wherever you are, you will guide us all into the future." Steve Jurczyk, Acting Administrator of NASA, also issued a statement calling Collins a "true pioneer" and said, "As we venture further, his spirit will go with us."

Collins was an astronaut aboard Apollo 11, the first manned lunar landing mission in 1969. He graduated from the United States Military Academy, served as an Air Force fighter pilot, and began working as a NASA astronaut in 1963.

Astronauts of Apollo 11. (From left) Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

During the Apollo mission, instead of stepping onto the moon like Armstrong and Aldrin, he served as the command module pilot, orbiting the moon and supporting their lunar landing mission. He remained alone in the command module for over 21 hours until Armstrong completed the mission.

Although Collins participated in the Apollo 11 mission, he did not receive as much attention as Armstrong, who actually set foot on the moon. As a result, he was often nicknamed the "forgotten astronaut." In fact, mission logs at the time recorded, "Since Adam, no one has known the loneliness that Collins experienced."

Also, while orbiting in the command module and moving to the far side of the moon, Collins lost communication with Earth for nearly an hour. He left a note recalling his experience: "Only God and I know this place. This moment of complete solitude is neither frightening nor lonely."

BBC broadcast described Collins as "an unsung hero of humanity's first lunar landing mission," and evaluated that "his achievements left a very important stepping stone for future lunar exploration missions."