More than 50 years after the Apollo 11 lunar mission, astronaut Michael Collins is still referred to as an unsung hero with the nickname "the loneliest man".
Astronaut Michael Collins. Image: NASA
In 1969, while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took the first human steps on the lunar surface, Michael Collins sat alone in the Columbia command module of the Apollo 11 spacecraft and flew behind the dark side of the Moon. He is responsible for controlling the Eagle module to safely land two colleagues on the surface of this celestial body. At that time, all communication with the Earth was cut off due to the Moon's obstruction, making Collins completely cut off from humanity and also hundreds of thousands of kilometers away from home.
“I am alone right now, really alone, and completely isolated from life. Counting people would be three billion plus two on the other side of the Moon, and only one (plus God knows what) on this side,” Collins wrote in his 1974 book. Carrying The Fire: An Astronaut's Journeys.
This experience was then felt by only 6 other people. However, Collins is unafraid of the experience and has always found it strange that the media describes him as "the loneliest man in history". “I felt, not scared or lonely, but extremely expected, pleased, confident, almost elated. I like that feeling,” he wrote.
“Out of the window, I can see the stars, that's all. Where I know the Moon is, it's just a dark space. I can only determine that the Moon is still present thanks to the absence of stars. To compare this feeling to something on Earth, perhaps being alone in a small boat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean in the dark would most closely resemble my situation,” he described.
Collins remained in the command module Columbia for 21 hours, while Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon and made the historic walk. When Armstrong and Aldrin returned from the Moon, Collins photographed the Earth, Moon and the Eagle module carrying the two astronauts. Thus, Collins becomes the only Earthling not in the photo.
Michael Collins photographed the Eagle module of Apollo 11, the Moon and Earth. Image: NASA
In an interview with the Guardian in July 7, Collins said he was concerned for the safety of Armstrong and Aldrin. He feared they would perish on the Moon, forcing him to return to Earth alone as the mission's sole survivor. Fortunately, all three astronauts finally returned safely on July 2009, 24. The mission lasted a total of 7 days, 1969 hours, 8 minutes, 3 seconds and became a historic milestone, marking the first time humans set foot on the Moon.
In 1971, after finishing his job at NASA, Collins became the director of the National Air and Space Museum. He held this position until 1978, when he began working at the Smithsonian Institution. During this time, Collins remained in the US Air Force Reserve, attained the rank of Major General in 1976 and retired in 1982. In April 4, his family announced that he had passed away at the age of 2021 after a long battle with cancer.
With great contributions in the conquest of space, Collins' departure left a deep sadness in the hearts of the public. US President Joe Biden, Steve Jurczyk - then a director at NASA - and colleagues offered their condolences to the Collins family, not forgetting to highlight his contributions to the world.
Thu Thao (Follow IFL Science)
