Way To Go, Eileen Collins

TWIT would like to congratulate Eileen Collins on being appointed as Commander of the space shuttle Discovery.  I'm proud to say that Eileen received a Master's Degree in space systems management from my alma mater, Webster University.  This is Eileen's fourth shuttle mission.

Commander Collins graduated from Air Force undergraduate pilot training, and was a T-41 instructor pilot at the Air Force Academy.  She was the second woman to enter the Air Force Test Pilot School, where she graduated in 1990.  She retired from the Air Force this past January at the rank of Colonel.

As stated earlier, Eileen is a veteran of three space shuttle flights.  In February 1995, Collins was the first woman to pilot a space shuttle during a Discovery mission.  In July 1999, she became the first woman Commander of a shuttle mission, aboard Columbia.  She accomplished all of this despite a fear of roller coasters. 

I think it's awesome that this will be the 114th space shuttle mission since the star tof the program in April 1981.  At the same time, it's kinda sad that we as a country don't pay that much attention to the shuttle flights any more; it's like old hat to us.  Out of the previous 113 space shuttle flights, the ones we remember are the Challenger shuttle explosion just after lift off back in January 1986, and the recent Columbia shuttle explosion that occurred just before entry in February 2003.  Those are unfortunately the two shuttle missions we focus on; we forget the other 111.  We take them for granted, and don't realize that they are still a miraculous occurrence. 

Eileen Collins said she has talked with her two children and her husband about this mission, and has tried to calm their fears.  She says "I'm doing this mission because this is something I believe in and we need to carry on the mission of the Columbia crew."  God be with you and your crew, Commander Collins.