Photo: Robert Markowitz / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
What strikes me most about Eileen Collins is how quietly historic her career is. Becoming the first woman to pilot and then command a Space Shuttle isn't just a milestone on a list of medals; it's a door held open for everyone who came after. I admire that her path ran through test-pilot rigor rather than spectacle, the Distinguished Flying Cross and Legion of Honour sitting beside hall-of-fame inductions almost as afterthoughts. To me, Collins represents the best kind of pioneer: disciplined, understated, and more interested in the mission than the glory. She earned her place in the sky.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Eileen Collins
- Name (Japanese)
- アイリーン・コリンズ
- Reading
- あいりーん・こりんず
- Born
- November 19, 1956 (age 69)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Monkey
- Origin
- Elmira, New York, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- air force officer / Granjeras / aircraft pilot / astronaut
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Syracuse University
Awards & achievements
- Distinguished Flying Cross
- Knight of the Legion of Honour
- Harmon Trophy
- 1995 National Women's Hall of Fame
- Women in Aviation International
- 2009 National Aviation Hall of Fame
- United States Astronaut Hall of Fame
- 2006 Women in Space Science Award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Eileen Collins born?
Born November 19, 1956 (age 69).
Where is Eileen Collins from?
Eileen Collins is from Elmira, New York, United States.
What does Eileen Collins do?
Eileen Collins works as air force officer, Granjeras, aircraft pilot, astronaut.
More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.