Who Is The Forgotten Astronaut?
Who Was The Forgotten Astronaut?
The astronaut who played a crucial role in the success of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission, but is often overlooked, has shared his experience of being treated oddly upon returning to Earth after the historic event.
Neil Armstrong's iconic words, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," remain etched in our memories as he became the first human to step on the lunar surface, with Buzz Aldrin following closely behind.
However, another astronaut who deserves recognition is often left out of the conversation.
Michael Collins played a crucial role in the Apollo 11 mission as he skillfully piloted the lunar command module while Armstrong and Aldrin were exploring the moon's surface.
Before becoming an astronaut, Collins had aspired to be a fighter pilot and had a strong desire to explore the cosmos. Despite not having the most glamorous role in the mission, Collins expressed his contentment in being a small but integral part of the team that made history. As he stated in an interview with 60 Minutes Australia, "Did I have the best seat on Apollo 11? No. Was I happy with the seat I did have? Yes – I really was, and to be any small part of that suited me very, very well. And, besides, I was their ticket home – they couldn't get home without me."
While Armstrong and Aldrin were conducting their lunar exploration and collecting samples, Collins was orbiting on the far side of the moon, alone in complete darkness.
Collins remarked that although the food was not enjoyable, he cherished his experience behind the moon, despite its rugged and uncomfortable conditions. He found the moon impressive, but acknowledged that it paled in comparison to our home planet.
Upon returning home, the astronauts' hero status was overshadowed by concerns from some scientists about the possibility of dangerous pathogens brought back from the moon. To address this issue, they were placed in quarantine for two weeks. Collins explained, "We were put into quarantine for two weeks. Some of our scientists were worried about the pathogens that we might have brought back from the moon, they possibly would be dangerous to humankind. So, their solution to that was to put us inside a hermetically sealed container with a gigantic colony of white mice – [if] the white mice lived we were okay, [if the] white mice died we were in deep trouble. Of course, I was checking on them ... there were too many of them to give names to but they became my friends."
Fortunately, the white mice survived the quarantine, and Collins expressed his affection for them. Given that they were the only living creatures he interacted with for two weeks, it's understandable why he enjoyed their company.
