Eileen Collins was the first woman to pilot a NASA Space Shuttle and the first woman to command a shuttle mission. She piloted Discovery on STS-63 in 1995, then flew as Atlantis’s pilot on STS-84 in 1997. She later commanded Columbia on STS-93 in 1999 and Discovery on the STS-114 Return to Flight mission in 2005. These are four different missions, not four names for a single record.
Her career is particularly useful for understanding the difference between a shuttle pilot and commander, why the Shuttle-Mir program mattered, and how NASA resumed flights after the 2003 Columbia disaster. The mission details below are based on NASA’s Eileen Collins biography and mission records, rather than on a viral claim or an unverified spaceflight anecdote.
Eileen Collins at a glance
| Question | Verified answer |
|---|---|
| Who is she? | Retired NASA astronaut and U.S. Air Force pilot from Elmira, New York |
| First shuttle pilot milestone | STS-63, Discovery, February 1995 |
| First shuttle commander milestone | STS-93, Columbia, July 1999 |
| Other shuttle flights | STS-84 in 1997 and STS-114 in 2005 |
| Number of missions | Four |
| Total time in space | More than 872 hours across those four flights, according to NASA |
| NASA retirement | May 2006 |
All four Eileen Collins space missions, in order
| Mission | Year | Orbiter | Collins’s job | Why the mission mattered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STS-63 | 1995 | Discovery | Pilot | First woman to pilot a Space Shuttle; rendezvous activities with the Russian station Mir |
| STS-84 | 1997 | Atlantis | Pilot | Shuttle-Mir docking mission involving crew rotation and supplies |
| STS-93 | 1999 | Columbia | Commander | First woman to command a shuttle; launched the Chandra X-ray Observatory |
| STS-114 | 2005 | Discovery | Commander | Return to Flight mission after the Columbia accident |
STS-63 (1995): breaking the pilot barrier
Collins flew as pilot of Discovery on STS-63, launched on February 3, 1995. A shuttle pilot was not merely a passenger: the position involved assisting the commander with systems, flying operations, and mission procedures. The crew performed a rendezvous with the Russian space station Mir, an important step toward more extensive US-Russian cooperation in orbit. The shuttle did not dock with Mir on this mission; confusing rendezvous with docking creates a misleading timeline.
The historical first here was specific: the first woman to serve as a Space Shuttle pilot. It was not the first time a woman traveled to space. Distinguishing the role is essential when describing Collins’s place in spaceflight history.
STS-84 (1997): supporting operations aboard Mir
On STS-84, Collins piloted Atlantis during a May 1997 Shuttle-Mir docking mission. The flight helped transfer crew members and deliver equipment and supplies to the Russian outpost. This was the experience of flying a shuttle in an increasingly complex program of international operations; it was not yet the mission on which Collins was commander.
STS-93 (1999): first woman shuttle commander
Collins commanded Columbia on STS-93, launched on July 23, 1999, from Kennedy Space Center. NASA’s STS-93 mission page confirms that the crew deployed the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Chandra was designed to study the universe in X-ray light, helping astronomers investigate energetic phenomena that ordinary visible-light telescopes cannot observe the same way.
This is the moment commonly summarized as the first female shuttle commander. A commander leads the mission and is ultimately responsible for the orbiter and crew. To understand the science payload, read AVARIXO’s guide to the Chandra Space Telescope and X-ray astronomy.
STS-114 (2005): leading NASA’s Return to Flight
Collins’s fourth and final spaceflight was as commander of Discovery on STS-114, from July 26 to August 9, 2005. After the loss of Columbia in 2003, NASA grounded the shuttle fleet and examined flight safety. STS-114 was the first shuttle mission following that accident. Its work included supporting the International Space Station and assessing shuttle safety-related procedures and hardware.
The mission was therefore a major operational test as well as a crewed flight. Describing STS-114 as Collins’s first command would be incorrect: she had already commanded STS-93 in 1999.
How did Eileen Collins become an astronaut?
Collins grew up in Elmira, New York, and pursued mathematics and science before entering military aviation. NASA’s biography records degrees from Corning Community College, Syracuse University, Stanford University, and Webster University. She worked as an Air Force pilot and instructor and attended the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School before her astronaut selection.
NASA selected her as an astronaut candidate in 1990; she qualified as an astronaut in 1991. Her later assignments included spacecraft systems work, flight-related support, and communication with crews from Mission Control. These responsibilities built operational experience before and between flights, rather than treating astronaut selection as immediate assignment to a spacecraft.
Why was Collins’s milestone important?
Her two milestones mark changes in who could hold the most demanding flight-deck positions in NASA’s shuttle program. Women had served as NASA astronauts before Collins’s first flight, but shuttle pilot and commander positions carried a separate professional pathway in flight operations and test-pilot training.
The 1999 milestone showed that a woman could lead a high-profile mission carrying an important scientific observatory. Her 2005 mission then put her in charge during a particularly scrutinized return to human spaceflight. Those are distinct leadership accomplishments and help explain why her career is discussed beyond a single historical first.
Eileen Collins vs Sally Ride: what is the difference?
Sally Ride became the first American woman in space when she flew aboard Challenger in 1983 as a mission specialist. Eileen Collins became the first female Space Shuttle pilot in 1995 and the first female Space Shuttle commander in 1999. Both milestones matter, but they refer to different people and different crew roles. Saying Collins was the first American woman in space is inaccurate.
What did Eileen Collins do after flying?
NASA records that Collins retired in May 2006 after four spaceflights and more than 872 hours in space. She later appeared in educational outreach and discussions about aviation and space exploration. A historical biography should not imply that she is still an active NASA astronaut; the agency lists her among former astronauts.
FAQ
Was Eileen Collins the first woman in space?
No. Her records concern shuttle pilot and shuttle commander roles, not the first female space traveler. Valentina Tereshkova flew in space in 1963, decades before the shuttle program.
What space shuttle did Eileen Collins fly?
She flew Discovery twice (STS-63 and STS-114), Atlantis once (STS-84), and Columbia once (STS-93). A question that asks for a single orbiter misses her four-mission career.
When did Eileen Collins first command a shuttle?
On STS-93, launched July 23, 1999. Its main payload was the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
Did Eileen Collins command the Columbia mission that ended in disaster?
No. She commanded Columbia on STS-93 in 1999. The fatal Columbia accident occurred on a different mission, STS-107, in 2003. Collins then commanded the subsequent Return to Flight mission STS-114 aboard Discovery in 2005.
How many days did Eileen Collins spend in space?
NASA lists more than 872 hours across four spaceflights — a little over 36 days in total.
Primary sources and further reading
The mission roles, dates and NASA service history can be checked against NASA’s former-astronaut biography, the agency’s STS-93 mission record, and its historical account of Collins’s first command. This guide discusses documented past missions, not a new launch or an unannounced mission assignment.
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