Forging a new path is a daunting but rewarding challenge, especially when it inspires others. Eileen Collins, 68, NASA’s first female space shuttle pilot and commander, is a testament to overcoming obstacles to achieve greatness.
Eileen Collins’ journey began in Elmira, New York, where she grew up in a poor family. From an early age, Collins dreamed of flying, seeing it as a way to escape her challenging home life.
She worked silently and persistently for many years, saving every penny to pursue her dream of flying, taking on all kinds of part-time jobs from cleaning school hallways to assisting customers at a home improvement store.
For Collins, no job was too small, no effort too great. At age 19, after years of hard work, she finally saved enough money to take her first flying lessons, a pivotal moment that set her on a path to greatness.
When the US Air Force opened the door to female pilots, Collins was one of the first to seize an opportunity that had eluded generations of women. Selected by NASA in January 1990, she officially became an astronaut in July 1991.
Despite facing discrimination and harassment, both overt and covert, in a predominantly male environment, Collins did not falter. Instead, she redoubled her efforts and kept moving forward.
Collins's space career reached new heights when NASA selected her as the first female pilot of the space shuttle Discovery in February 1995. Flying the space shuttle is a feat that only a handful of people have the opportunity to dream of, let alone successfully accomplish.
I advise people to take on challenges, even if they seem too hard, even if they seem like they might fail. When you’re old and look back on your life, you might regret not having tried it. Set yourself interesting challenges and be willing to help others. There’s no better feeling than helping others.”
Eileen Collins
But Collins didn’t stop there. After her first two missions, in July 1999, she became the first female shuttle mission commander, sending Columbia into Earth orbit to deploy the Chandra X-ray Observatory. It was a monumental achievement that inspired countless women and girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
The fourth mission came after the Columbia disaster, when what seemed like a routine flight took a completely different turn. The 2005 “Return to Flight” mission, which tested new safety modifications and resupply to the International Space Station (ISS), was also Collins’s last. She retired from the Air Force in 2005 and from NASA in 2006.
This past November, the documentary "Spacewoman" brought Eileen Collins' story to the big screen. Directed by Hannah Berryman and produced by Natasha Dack Ojumu and Keith Haviland, the film offers an intimate look at Collins' sacrifices and relentless efforts to become a pioneering woman in space.
"Spacewoman" doesn't shy away from the emotional and physical toll Collins took on her journey to becoming that "first." Through interviews with colleagues like Dr. Cady Coleman and Dr. Charlie Camarda, as well as members of Collins' family, the film vividly depicts the cost of pioneering while also celebrating the barriers Collins overcame.
Twenty-five years ago, Eileen Collins’ command broke the boundaries of human spaceflight. As former First Lady Hillary Clinton predicted, her selection opened the door for many other female astronauts.
More and more women are being assigned to command space missions, such as Expedition 65 commander Shannon Walker and Expedition 68 commander Samantha Cristoforetti.
More importantly, Collins has become a role model for younger generations interested in space and STEM. Her career has proven that there are no limits if you work hard and dare to pursue your passion.
Encyclopedia Britannica once selected Ms. Collins as one of the 300 most influential women in human history.
Source: Forbes, NASA
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