Michael Collins, who was part of the Apollo 11 original moon landing crew, died at the age of 90, his family said on Wednesday.
A statement released by Collins’s family said: “We regret to share that out beloved father and grandfather passed away today, after a valiant battle with cancer. He spent his final days peacefully.”
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His family hopes people will celebrate his joy, sharp wit and “his quiet sense of purpose, and his wise perspective, gained both from looking back at Earth from the vantage of space and gazing across calm waters from the deck of his fishing boat.”
Collins kept the command module flying while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon.
Collins was sometimes called the “forgotten astronaut” as he didn’t get to land on the moon, while Armstrong and Aldrin became household names. Nonetheless, his role in the three-man mission in 1969 was just as crucial.
A statement from acting Nasa administrator Steve Jurczyk on the death of Collins read: “Today the nation lost a true pioneer and lifelong advocate for exploration in astronaut Michael Collins."
It continued: “Michael remained a tireless promoter of space. ‘Exploration is not a choice, really, it’s an imperative,’ he said. Intensely thoughtful about his experience in orbit, he added, ‘What would be worth recording is what kind of civilization we Earthlings created and whether or not we ventured out into other parts of the galaxy.’
The statement also noted that some called him 'the loneliest man in history'. However, it asserted that there is no doubt "he inspired a new generation of scientists, engineers, test pilots, and astronauts."
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