Presented in partnership with University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Science and Engineering
History-making NASA astronaut and the extraordinary subject of a forthcoming feature documentary, Spacewoman, Colonel Eileen Collins shares how her career as an astronaut took shape, from her early years in the Air Force, to becoming the first woman to command a shuttle mission. She will also include projections on the future of NASA and its ability to focus on exciting new space ventures.
In-person attendance option
This program will be presented virtually via Zoom webinar. If you would prefer to attend this program in-person at the Linda Hall Library, please follow this link to register:
One of America’s most admired women, Col. Collins became the first female to pilot a U.S. spacecraft with the Discovery shuttle flight in 1995, and the first female commander on the 1999 Columbia shuttle flight. In 2005, NASA tapped Col. Collins to command the space shuttle Discovery’s historic “Return to Flight” mission, NASA’s first piloted flight following the loss of space shuttle Columbia in 2003.
While logging 872 hours in space, Col. Collins earned a reputation for coolness under pressure. With that same calm demeanor, she shares how her career as an astronaut took shape, from her early years in the U.S. Air Force to her ground-breaking experience with NASA.
Her memoir, Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars, was published in 2021. In 2022, Col. Collins was awarded the National Aeronautic Association’s Wright Brothers Award for her inspirational career as an astronaut, teacher and leader. She is also honored as a 2025 inductee into the Living Legends of Aviation.
