Death of Michael Collins, American astronaut of the Apollo 11 mission

Sylvie Claire / April 29, 2021

American astronaut Michael Collins, a member of Apollo 11, the first manned mission to the Moon, died Wednesday of cancer at the age of 90, his family announced in a statement.

Pilot of the command and service module, he remained in orbit while his fellow missionaries Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the Moon.

Born on October 31, 1930 in Rome to a diplomat father, Michael Collins became a test pilot for the US Army.

In the 1960s, he accumulated many hours of flight in space, notably during the Gemini missions.

The only member of the Apollo 11 crew not to have walked on the Earth's satellite, he says he has not kept any bitterness.

Like Aldrin and Armstrong, Collins quickly left NASA after the triumphant return to Earth and led a rich public career.

He was appointed Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs by President Richard Nixon, then directed the construction of the Washington Air Museum, serving as its chairman (1971-1978).

He then became a consultant and wrote books related to the space adventure.