Trivia

Crew member on Gemini 10 (1966) and Apollo 11 (1969) missions.

He was the command module pilot for Apollo 11, the mission that landed the first men on the moon (he stayed in orbit around the moon during the landing). He was the first director of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

The song "For Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me" (1970) by the British rock band Jethro Tull was dedicated to him, and talked about what he missed out on through staying on the shuttle during the moon-landing.

He received his Bachelor of Science degree in military science from the United States Military Academy (West Point) (1952). He became a fighter pilot, and served as a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

Two flights for the American space program. Once on the first manned lunar expedition Apollo 11 with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin and once on Gemini 10 with John Young. On the historic Apollo 11 mission, the lunar module was Eagle and the command module was Columbia.

He, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood, California.

Son of Major General James Lawton Collins, a veteran of World War I and World War II. Nephew of General Joseph Lawton Collins, World War II veteran and Army Chief of Staff during the Korean War.

Father of Kate Collins.

Astronaut.

He had constantly stated that he never felt bad about not being a moon-walker, as he had training with the command module and there had to be someone to control it well on the mission. Fittingly, he was also born outside the United States and technically would not be an American-born man if he was chosen to walk on the moon.

His death on April 28, 2021 leaves Buzz Aldrin as the sole surviving crew member of the Apollo 11 command module.

He is portrayed by Lukas Haas by First Man : Le Premier Homme sur la Lune (2018).

One of only two Apollo astronauts who visited the moon, to have been born outside the United States. The other is Bill Anders who was born in Hong Kong.