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Former Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins, who was left behind while his Nasa crewmates walked on the Moon for the first time, has died aged 90.
Collins flew the Apollo 11 command module Columbia around the Moon by himself during the 1969 mission, while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin visited the lunar surface and became the first humans to walk on the Moon.
The astronaut died from cancer on Wednesday at the age of 90, a statement from Nasa confirmed.
Collins, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom alongside Armstrong and Aldrin, maintained a lower profile than his world-famous crewmates. After leaving Nasa, he became director of the National Air and Space Museum, before launching his own consulting firm.
Buzz Aldrin, now the only surviving member of the Apollo 11 crew, said on Twitter: “Dear Mike, Wherever you have been or will be, you will always have the Fire to Carry us deftly to new heights and to the future. We will miss you. May you Rest In Peace.”
Acting Nasa administrator Steve Jurczyk said in a statement: “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 added: “Nasa mourns the loss of this accomplished pilot and astronaut, a friend of all who seek 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.”
The Collins family said: “We regret to share that our beloved father and grandfather passed away today, after a valiant battle with cancer.
“He spent his final days peacefully, with his family by his side. Mike always faced the challenges of life with grace and humility, and faced this, his final challenge, in the same way. We will miss him terribly. Yet we also know how lucky Mike felt to have lived the life he did.
“We will honour his wish for us to celebrate, not mourn, that life. Please join us in fondly and joyfully remembering his sharp wit, his quiet sense of purpose, and his wise perspective, gained both from looking back at Earth from the vantage of space and gazing across calm waters from the deck of his fishing boat.”
This Story First Appeared At The INews
