Women Who Rock the World: Eileen Collins

Meet Eileen Collins:
the First Female Shuttle Commander

UPDATE ON EILEEN!! In July 1999, U.S. Air Force Colonel Eileen Collins became the first woman to both command and land a space shuttle! The shuttle Columbia touched down with Eileen at the helm in a tricky nighttime landing at the Kennedy Space Center. It was only the 12th nighttime landing in shuttle history!

The successful mission was short but the five-person crew released the powerful Chandra X-ray telescope into space in a high orbit. Now scientists will get a better view of the stars thanks to high-flying Colonel Collins who proves that, in space, as here on earth --Girls Rule!!! --Lynn b.

At last! Space is now officially a gender-neutral place! On Thursday, March 5th, Air Force Lt. Col. Eileen Collins was named by First Lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton as the very first woman to command a U.S. space shuttle mission. Lt. Col. Collins will command the Columbia in December. Her mission? Lead the crew that will put a massive, X-Ray telescope into space.

A Quote From Lt. Col. Eileen Collins

"It is especially important to work well as a team, to get along with all co-workers. You will have bumps on the road along the way. Take every disappointment in your career as an opportunity for something new and better in the future." (Quoted from Women In Aviation and Space, by Sandra H. Flowers and Michael H. Abbott, U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation Administration. Page 11.)

Personal Facts about Lt. Col. Collins

Born on November 19, 1956, in Elmira, New York.
She's married to Pat Youngs, another pilot she met in the military
they flew C-141s together. Now he's an airline pilot
their love of flying has been part of the cement that's kept them together through lots of military career moves
She's a working mom, they have one child.
Lt. Col. Collins likes running, golf, hiking, camping
She also likes reading, photography and astronomy

Education

She has an associate in science degree in mathematics/science from Corning Community College in 1976
She got her bachelor of arts degree in mathematics and economics from Syracuse University in 1978
For graduate school, she got a master of science degree in operations research from Stanford University in 1986; and a master of arts degree in space systems management from Webster University in 1989

Career Before She Become an Astronaut

Air Force's Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB, Oklahoma
T-38 instructor pilot
C-141 aircraft commander and instructor pilot at Travis AFB, California
Student with the Air Force Institute of Technology
Taught at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado, where she was an assistant professor in mathematics and a T-41 instructor pilot
Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, California
She's logged over 4,700 hours in 30 different types of aircraft.

Space Experience So Far

became an astronaut in July 1991.
served on the astronaut support team responsible for Orbiter prelaunch checkout, final launch configuration, crew ingress/egress, and landing/recovery
worked in Mission Control as a spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM)
as a pilot, has logged over 419 hours in space.
She was the first woman to pilot a space shuttle in Feb. 1995 when she flew aboard the first joint Russian-American Space Program mission
She's been on the Russian Space Station Mir, helped to run Spacehab, and done a space walk.

Related Career Links

Here's NASA's official interview with Eileen Collins. If you're looking for information on how to become an astronaut--this is the webpage that you're looking for! Search this page for information on what they do, who they are, how to qualify, and how and when to apply.

World Book tells you how astronauts are trained and selected today. Women's Contributions to Aeronautics and Space: Historical Milestones is here.

Thanks to NASA Astronaut's Biographies for the information and the picture of Lt. Col. Collins, and to the Air Force pilot biography page for the picture of Lt. Col. Collins in her flight gear. Thanks also go to Nancy L. of California, for this Trailblazer Interview and Meg and Chris for editing and coding it.

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