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Eileen Collins Retires
May. 1st, 2006 05:10 pmNASA Astronaut Eileen Collins Completes Career of Space Firsts
I've always had a lot of admiration for her. When Toni and I saw our first and so far only shuttle launch in late January, 1995, it was STS-63, famous for, among other things (first rendezvous with MIR), her role as first female shuttle pilot. Several years later, I was on a flight from San Jose, CA to Houston, TX (coming home from the Bay Area via Houston) sitting next to a contractor who often attended meetings at JSC in which she would also attend. This man told me she was quite the "hatchet person" (as in everything "chop chop" - very efficient, very decisive). I've seen her (not in person) at numerous press conferences and I followed very closely the shuttle's return to flight with her commanding Discovery last year. But I don't blame her for getting out if she thinks it is time.
I've always had a lot of admiration for her. When Toni and I saw our first and so far only shuttle launch in late January, 1995, it was STS-63, famous for, among other things (first rendezvous with MIR), her role as first female shuttle pilot. Several years later, I was on a flight from San Jose, CA to Houston, TX (coming home from the Bay Area via Houston) sitting next to a contractor who often attended meetings at JSC in which she would also attend. This man told me she was quite the "hatchet person" (as in everything "chop chop" - very efficient, very decisive). I've seen her (not in person) at numerous press conferences and I followed very closely the shuttle's return to flight with her commanding Discovery last year. But I don't blame her for getting out if she thinks it is time.
