RIP Mike Collins, Apollo 11 astronaut

[MartG]

RIP Mike Collins, aged 90

Sometimes called the 'forgotten' Apollo 11 astronaut, as he remained in the command module while his crewmates landed on the moon

https://twitter.com/AstroMCollins/status/138743849...

[Bigends]

RIP. His book 'Carrying the fire' is one of the better space reads

[Eric Mc]

Sad news. Only Buzz (surprisngly) left.

[RizzoTheRat]

That man who gave us this awesome photo that includes all of humanity except him



I'll second the above comment that his autobiography Carrying The Fire is well worth a read

[V88Dicky]

Another Apollo astronaut has left us. Growing up in the 70’s and being fascinated with space, to say these blokes were my heroes is an understatement.

RIP Major General Mike Collins

[LHRFlightman]

Very sad. Out of the three, he was the one I most connected with.

RIP.

[vaud]

RizzoTheRat said:

That man who gave us this awesome photo that includes all of humanity except him

That's a great observation.

[Einion Yrth]

vaud said:

RizzoTheRat said:

That man who gave us this awesome photo that includes all of humanity except him

That's a great observation.

This generation would have made it a selfie, and completely missed the point.

RIP

[Dog Star]

RizzoTheRat said:

That man who gave us this awesome photo that includes all of humanity except him



I'll second the above comment that his autobiography Carrying The Fire is well worth a read

A cracking book, head and shoulders above the rest and with some very funny bits too.

It’s a shame he didn’t actually walk on the moon, I think his writing about that would have been something special.

[anonymous-user]

RizzoTheRat said:

That man who gave us this awesome photo that includes all of humanity except him



I'll second the above comment that his autobiography Carrying The Fire is well worth a read

Nice photo, for a sound stage in California. :-)

[Wacky Racer]

Fascinating interview (Scroll down)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-5692156...

[The Moose]

He lived less than a mile from my home. I have a couple of buddies who knew him and always spoke extremely highly of the chap. It was always my wish to ask one of my buddies to introduce me but it never felt quite right. Regret that now.

[Jaguar steve]

vaud said:

RizzoTheRat said:

That man who gave us this awesome photo that includes all of humanity except him

That's a great observation.

+1

[Einion Yrth]

Jaguar steve said:

vaud said:

RizzoTheRat said:

That man who gave us this awesome photo that includes all of humanity except him

That's a great observation.

+1

I believe he was very conscious of the fact that when "behind" the moon, there really was just him.

I think I'd have found that difficult, and I'm not a massively social animal.

[anonymous-user]

YorkshireWhisky said:

Nice photo, for a sound stage in California. :-)

You might think that is funny, but I think it is totally inappropriate in a thread like this.

Collins, Armstrong, and Aldrin had their lives plagued at times by crackpots who repeatedly ambushed them at events or while out with their families, claiming all sorts of conspiracy crap.

These men risked their lives, and contributed incredible amounts to science and exploration, and yet they had to put up with morons shouting in their faces for decades.

RIP Mike Collins.

[valiant]

Einion Yrth said:

Jaguar steve said:

vaud said:

RizzoTheRat said:

That man who gave us this awesome photo that includes all of humanity except him

That's a great observation.

+1

I believe he was very conscious of the fact that when "behind" the moon, there really was just him.

I think I'd have found that difficult, and I'm not a massively social animal.

I watched First Man on the telly the other day and when MC says ‘Please come back guys’ when they leave for the LM for the final time made me think of what he must have been going through his head should anything had gone wrong whilst on the surface of the Moon.

Can you imagine spending days on your own travelling back to Earth knowing your crew mates were dead and left behind?

Made of sterner stuff those pioneers.

RIP.

[paulguitar]

The Moose said:

He lived less than a mile from my home. I have a couple of buddies who knew him and always spoke extremely highly of the chap. It was always my wish to ask one of my buddies to introduce me but it never felt quite right. Regret that now.

It's a shame you didn't get to meet him. There is something about the three Apollo 11 astronauts, in particular, that seems to me to be so far beyond 'celebrity' that it requires another category altogether. I can't put into words the admiration I feel for those people.

[Tom1312]

paulguitar said:

It's a shame you didn't get to meet him. There is something about the three Apollo 11 astronauts, in particular, that seems to me to be so far beyond 'celebrity' that it requires another category altogether. I can't put into words the admiration I feel for those people.

This.

True heroes.

[The Moose]

paulguitar said:

The Moose said:

He lived less than a mile from my home. I have a couple of buddies who knew him and always spoke extremely highly of the chap. It was always my wish to ask one of my buddies to introduce me but it never felt quite right. Regret that now.

It's a shame you didn't get to meet him. There is something about the three Apollo 11 astronauts, in particular, that seems to me to be so far beyond 'celebrity' that it requires another category altogether. I can't put into words the admiration I feel for those people.

Agreed. You're much more articulate than I am.

[Eric Mc]

They knew they were participating in something very fundamental to the progress of mankind. They felt the weight and responsibility of history on their shoulders.