Biography eileen collins

After graduating from pilot training in at the age of 23, Collins became the first female flight instructor. From toshe taught in Oklahoma, California, and Colorado. In addition to giving soldiers flying lessons, she was also a math instructor at the U. A student as well as a teacher, she took pilot training classes at the Air Force Institute of Technology and, at age 32, was the second woman ever to attend Air Force Test Pilot School.

Collins also received a master of science degree in operations research from Stanford University in and a master of arts degree in space systems management from Webster University in She was later, of course, made space shuttle pilot for the Mir space station rendezvous flight in February of The Mir space station is an artificial Russian satellite designed to revolve in a fixed orbit and serve as a base for scientific observation and experimentation.

Eventually, the Mir will be permanently occupied, and space shuttles will transport astronauts to and from the station. This mission of February 4,was a dry run to lay the groundwork for an actual landing scheduled for the summer of that year. Collins explained the mission to a reporter in Ad Astra: "The best comparison to what we are going to do is the Apollo 10 mission that descended to within 15 kilometers of the lunar biography eileen collins, and the Apollo 11 mission that landed on the Moon.

Space exploration has also strengthened relationships between other nations, including Canada, Japan, and European countries. A change in the Spacehab module that the shuttle would be carrying into orbit caused a postponing of the launch, which was originally scheduled for May of Although the nine-month delay was frustrating, Collins took the extra time to learn the Russian language and familiarize herself with the Mir.

Then, just before the next scheduled flight, there was a failure in one of the three navigation units required to control the shuttle's steering. Engineers worked around the clock, and NASA delayed the trip another 24 hours. When the launch finally took place, the astronauts discovered a minor propellant leak on one of the jet thrusters. Though the leak would be manageable, the Russian astronauts became worried about the Mir's exposure to damage by such a close encounter and rearranged the rendezvous for a safer 1, feet, instead of the scheduled 38 feet.

NASA scientists negotiated with the Russians, reassuring them that their space station was in no danger.

Biography eileen collins

The Russians were eventually convinced and agreed to the original 38 foot close encounter. Throughout the obstacles and delays, Collins handled the pressure with amazing calmness. Collins credits her rugged astronaut training for preparing her for adversity. Although her pilot experience helped, NASA stretched her far beyond anything she thought possible.

Collins later noted that the simulator was one of the hardest parts of her training. During an eight-minute artificial launch, trainers input up to 20 different malfunctions. She remarked in Ad Astra, "You have to prioritize and organize quickly: What's wrong? How to fix it? Find the procedure, then do the procedure. Then you get interrupted with another malfunction.

Then you have to decide which one will 'kill me' now, in ten seconds, or in minutes. As hard as training is in the s, it was much more barbaric 30 years before. Concerning the training of the s, the Irish Times wrote, "[The astronauts later claimed] the physical and psychological tests were devised by a sadist. Known as FLATS fellow lady astronaut traineesthe 26 women were tested in along with male astronauts.

Thirteen of them passed, becoming known as the Mercury NASA, however, canceled the project before the women ever soared into the galaxy. Sarah Ratley, one of the Mercury 13, told the Kansas City Star after Collins's takeoff, "We all knew Eileen and just kind of felt like we were there going up with her saying, 'Go, go, go. She returned the favor by offering the 11 surviving women special seats for the Mir launch.

Collins told a Cable News Network CNN correspondent, "I feel like so many of them have become friends of mine now, and I'm sort of carrying on their dream. When the space shuttle thundered into the horizon early in the morning on February 4,some of the onlookers cried. Women have come a long way in the field of aviation and astronautics, and Collins took them one step further.

Kansas City Star, February 16,p. She then moved to Travis Air Force Base in Coloradowhere she was a C aircraft commander and instructor pilot until From toCollins was an assistant professor of mathematics and a T instructor pilot at the U. Air Force Academy. She received two master's degrees during that period: a master of biography eileen collins in operations research from Stanford University in and a master of arts in space systems management from Webster University in She became the first woman pilot of the space shuttle when she flew on STS in ; that mission marked the first shuttle rendezvous with the Russian space station Mir.

Ellis, Lee A. New York : Americana Group Publishing, Johnson Space Center. Barlow, Nadine G. Collins, Eileen gale. Learn more about citation styles Citation styles Encyclopedia. Eileen Collins gale. Eileen Collins On February 4,at a. First Woman to Pilot Shuttle Although Collins's trip was the Discovery's twentieth flight and the sixty-seventh for the shuttle program, the voyage was a special one for a few reasons.

Detroit Free Press, January 30,p. Gannet News Service, February 11, Houston Chronicle, February 11,p. Irish Times, February 11,p. New York Times, February 1,p. A7; February 5,p. A6; February 9,p. Washington Post, February 3,p. A8; February 4,p. Washington Times, March 12,p. Working Woman, Februaryp. Nadine G. Barlow Bibliography Ellis, Lee A.

Air Force Academy in Colorado, where she was an assistant professor in mathematics and a T instructor pilot. A veteran of three space flights, Collins has logged over hours in space. Mission highlights included the rendezvous with the Russian Space Station Mir, operation of Spacehab, the deployment and retrieval of an astronomy satellite, and a space walk.

Archived from the original on 14 May Retrieved 23 January Retrieved 11 December The Ninety-Nines. Archived from the original on 7 May Retrieved 12 June Eileen Collins". Archived from the original on 17 October Retrieved 8 February Archived from the original on 28 October Retrieved 21 June Military Times. Archived from the original on 10 April Retrieved 17 July Archived from the original on 15 August Retrieved 22 June Retrieved 13 May Retrieved 4 August San Antonio Business Journal.

Washington, D. Astronaut Hall of Fame". Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Retrieved 16 July His name's in the mix for Trump's space team". Retrieved 1 December Retrieved 24 April American Academy of Achievement. Retrieved 13 June Alder Planetarium. National Space Symposium. Archived from the original on 3 February Retrieved 31 January Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Retrieved 16 September National Aeronautic Association. National Women's Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on 3 October National Aviation Hall of Fame. Retrieved 1 February Archived from the original on 19 February Lone Star Flight Museum. Retrieved 20 May Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 17 January Salem State University. Retrieved 20 July Archived from the original on 13 July The Post-Standard.

Retrieved 13 November Archived from the original PDF on 1 October Retrieved 4 June References [ edit ]. Further reading [ edit ]. External links [ edit ]. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eileen Collins. Gregory James D. Halsell Charles J. Precourt Richard A. Searfoss Terrence W. Daniel W. Bursch Leroy Chiao Michael R. Clifford Nancy J.

Currie Bernard A. Harris Jr. Susan Helms Thomas D. Jones William S. McArthur James H. Newman Ellen Ochoa Ronald M. Sega Donald A. Thomas Janice E. Voss Carl E. Walz Peter Wisoff David Wolf. Inductees to the National Women's Hall of Fame. Margaret Sanger Sojourner Truth. Carrie Chapman Catt Frances Perkins. Belva Lockwood Lucretia Mott.

Gertrude Belle Elion. She was also the biography eileen collins for STS in After earning her pilot wings, she stayed on at Vance for three years as a T Talon instructor pilot before transitioning to the C Starlifter at Travis Air Force Base, California. From toshe was assigned to the U. Air Force Academy in Colorado, where she was an assistant professor in mathematics and a T instructor pilot.

InCollins became the second female pilot to attend the U. She was selected for the astronaut program in She graduated from Syracuse University in with a bachelor of arts in mathematics and economics, then earned a master of science degree in operations research from Stanford University inand a master of arts degree in space systems management from Webster University in A former military instructor and test pilot, Collins was the first female pilot and first female commander of a Space Shuttle.

She was awarded several medals for her work. Colonel Collins has logged 38 days 8 hours and 20 minutes in outer space. Collins retired on May 1,to pursue private interests, including service as a board member of USAA. Eileen Collins. Her husband is Pat Young s m.