Eileen Collins – an American astronaut who made history as the first woman to pilot (1995) and command (1999) a NASA space shuttle. A veteran of four missions (STS-63, STS-84, STS-93, STS-114), she spent over 872 hours in space. A key moment in her career was commanding the 'Return to Flight’ mission of the shuttle Discovery in 2005 after the Columbia disaster.
Key achievements and history:
First female pilot (1995): In February 1995, as the pilot of the shuttle Discovery (mission STS-63), she performed the first rendezvous of a space shuttle with the Russian space station Mir.
First female commander (1999): She commanded mission STS-93 on the shuttle Columbia, the goal of which was to place the Chandra X-ray Observatory into orbit.
’Return to Flight’ Mission (2005): Collins commanded the shuttle Discovery (STS-114) in July 2005, which was NASA’s first mission after the tragic shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003.
Military and NASA Career: She was a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and was selected for NASA in 1990, becoming the first female test pilot.
