Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins dead at 90

“He spent his final days peacefully, with his family by his side,” the statement continued. “Mike always faced the challenges of life with grace and humility, and faced this, his final challenge, in the same way.”

Collins, along with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, was part of the three-person Apollo 11 mission crew that yielded the United States its first successful moon landing on July 20, 1969. As Armstrong and Aldrin took the lunar module to the moon, Collins piloted the command and service module all alone during its lunar orbit.

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“Today the nation lost a true pioneer and lifelong advocate for exploration in astronaut Michael Collins,” acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk said in a statement. “As pilot of the Apollo 11 command module — some called him ‘the loneliest man in history’ — while his colleagues walked on the Moon for the first time, he helped our nation achieve a defining milestone.”

“NASA mourns the loss of this accomplished pilot and astronaut, a friend of all who seek to push the envelope of human potential,” Jurczyk also said. “Whether his work was behind the scenes or on full view, his legacy will always be as one of the leaders who took America’s first steps into the cosmos. And his spirit will go with us as we venture toward farther horizons.”

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Aldrin penned his own tribute to his mission partner, writing, “Dear Mike, wherever you have been or will be, you will always have the Fire to Carry us deftly to new heights and to the future. We will miss you. May you Rest In Peace.”

Former NASA astronaut Scott Kelly also responded to Collins’s passing, writing, “Michael Collins as Command Module Pilot for #Apollo11 was the best spaceflight assignment ever made. His grace, humility & professionalism made him perfect for the historic role and cemented his legacy.”