Strap in folks, we are going to Space with a very special guest who blazed her own trail, defying the grip of Earth’s gravity, and breaking a glass ceiling into the cosmos. Our Guest today is Retired NASA Astronaut Eileen Collins.
Col. Collins has lived an amazing life, and though she has retired from the NASA astronaut program, her mission to share her story and inspire the next generation of explorers is far from over. Many of us can only dream of a career like hers - from her achievements as the first woman to command an American space mission and the first to pilot the space shuttle to her early years as one of the Air Force’s first female pilots.
Eileen is one of those pioneers who forever changed the trajectory of space exploration - this one's going to be cool!
Key Takeaways:
- Eileen Collins was born in 1956 in Elmira, New York.
- She received a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and economics from Syracuse University in 1978.
- Collins joined the Air Force in 1979 and became a pilot.
- She was selected for the astronaut program in 1990.
- Collins made her first trip to space in 1995 as a member of the STS-63 crew.
- In 1999, Collins became the first woman to command a space shuttle when she led the STS-93 mission.
- She commanded two more space shuttle missions: STS-114 in 2005 and STS-121 in 2006.
- Collins retired from NASA and the Air Force in 2006.
- After her retirement, she worked as a consultant and public speaker.
- Collins has received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to space exploration, including the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
Resources:
- The official NASA website has a page dedicated to Eileen Collins that provides biographical information, photos, and details about her missions: https://www.nasa.gov/astronauts/biographies/eileen-m-collins/biography
- The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation has an interview with Collins on their website, where she discusses her career and experiences in space: https://astronautscholarship.org/eileen-collin
- The National Air and Space Museum has a page about Collins on their website, which includes information about her career and achievements: https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/eileen-collin
- The Encyclopedia Britannica has an entry about Collins that provides an overview of her life and career: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Eileen-Collins
- The Women in Aviation International organization has a profile of Collins on their website, which includes information about her achievements and contributions to the field of aviation: https://www.wai.org/pioneers/eileen-collins
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Ruthie's Table 4
For more than 30 years The River Cafe in London, has been the home-from-home of artists, architects, designers, actors, collectors, writers, activists, and politicians. Michael Caine, Glenn Close, JJ Abrams, Steve McQueen, Victoria and David Beckham, and Lily Allen, are just some of the people who love to call The River Cafe home. On River Cafe Table 4, Rogers sits down with her customers—who have become friends—to talk about food memories. Table 4 explores how food impacts every aspect of our lives. “Foods is politics, food is cultural, food is how you express love, food is about your heritage, it defines who you and who you want to be,” says Rogers. Each week, Rogers invites her guest to reminisce about family suppers and first dates, what they cook, how they eat when performing, the restaurants they choose, and what food they seek when they need comfort. And to punctuate each episode of Table 4, guests such as Ralph Fiennes, Emily Blunt, and Alfonso Cuarón, read their favourite recipe from one of the best-selling River Cafe cookbooks. Table 4 itself, is situated near The River Cafe’s open kitchen, close to the bright pink wood-fired oven and next to the glossy yellow pass, where Ruthie oversees the restaurant. You are invited to take a seat at this intimate table and join the conversation. For more information, recipes, and ingredients, go to https://shoptherivercafe.co.uk/ Web: https://rivercafe.co.uk/ Instagram: www.instagram.com/therivercafelondon/ Facebook: https://en-gb.facebook.com/therivercafelondon/ For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iheartradio app, apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com