His second flight was as command module pilot of the historic Apollo 11 mission in July 1969. He remained in lunar orbit while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the Moon.

In April 1971, Collins joined the Smithsonian Institution as Director of the National Air and Space Museum, where he remained for 7 years. He was responsible for planning and construction of the new museum building, which opened to the public in July 1976, a few days ahead of schedule and below its budgeted cost. In April 1978, Collins became Undersecretary of the Smithsonian Institution.

In 1980, Collins became Vice President of the LTV Aerospace and Defense Company, resigning in 1985 to start his own firm. He is author of CARRYING THE FIRE (1974), which describes his experience in the space program. He followed it with FLYING TO THE MOON AND OTHER STRANGE PLACES (1976), a book about space for younger readers. In 1988 he wrote LIFTOFF: THE STORY OF AMERICA'S ADVENTURE IN SPACE.

ARCHIVAL BIOGRAPHY LAST UPDATED 1989