Eileen Marie Collins, born on November 19, 1956, is a retired NASA astronaut and former US Air Force (USAF) colonel renowned for her groundbreaking achievements in space exploration. Collins broke significant barriers in spaceflight as the first woman to pilot and command a space shuttle mission. Her career highlights include leading NASA's "return to flight" mission following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster and commanding the deployment of the Chandra X-Ray Observatory.
Collins' educational journey began with an associate degree in mathematics from Corning Community College in 1976, followed by a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics from Syracuse University in 1978. She then entered the USAF through Syracuse's Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program. After completing her pilot training at Vance Air Force Base, she served as a T-38 Talon instructor pilot before flying the C-141 Starlifter at Travis Air Force Base. Notably, during the 1983 American invasion of Grenada, Collins flew crucial medical and military missions, earning combat pay and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
Selected as a pilot astronaut in 1990, Collins made history on the STS-63 mission in 1995 as the first woman to pilot a space shuttle. This mission involved a rendezvous with the Russian space station Mir, marking the first approach by a shuttle. Her subsequent missions included STS-84, which docked with Mir and transferred astronauts and supplies, and STS-93, where she became the first woman to command a space shuttle mission, deploying the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. Her leadership and innovative approaches, such as performing a 360-degree pitch maneuver during STS-114 to inspect the shuttle’s exterior, exemplified her role in advancing spaceflight safety and exploration. After retiring from NASA in 2006 and the USAF in 2005, Collins continued to contribute to aerospace and education, leaving a legacy of pioneering achievements that broke new ground for women in space.