THE RIDE HOME.
THAT WAS MICHAEL COLLINS.
>> IGNITION SEQUENCE START.
>> JULY 16, 1969, A MASSIVE
START 5 ROCKETTE PROPELS
ASTRONAUTS NEIL ARMSTRONG, BUZZ
ALDRIN AND MICHAEL COLLINS INTO
SPACE.
FOR THE MOST DARING AND
TECHNICALLY DEMANDING ADVENTURE
OF ITS TIME.
>> WERE YOU NERVOUS?
>> YES, I GET NERVOUS EASILY.
AND IT SEEMED LIKE A SUITABLE
OCCASION B TO BE NERVOUS.
>> ONCE IN ORBIT AROUND THE
MOON, COLLINS SAID GOODBYE TO
ARMSTRONG AND ALDRIN.
COLLINS STAYED UP IN THE COMMAND
MODULE, THE ONLY RIDE HOME.
ONCE THOSE GUYS DRIFT OFF, WHAT
DO YOU THINK?
>> BON VOYAGE.
>> FINE LOOKING FLYING MACHINE
THERE.
DESPITE THE FACT YOU’RE UPSIDE
DOWN.
>> Reporter: AS THE COMMAND
MODULE VENTURED TO THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE MOON, HE DID HEAR.
>> THE EAGLE HAS LANDED.
>> BUT AS FOR THOSE FAMOUS FIRST
WORDS.
>> ONE SMALL STEP FOR MAN.
ONE GIANT LEAP FOR MANKIND.
>> Reporter: HE MISSED THE WHOLE
THING.
>> DID YOU HEAR NEIL
ARMSTRONG’S --
>> NO.
>> Reporter: DIDN’T HEAR IT.
>> NO I DON’T REMEMBER HEARING
THAT.
>> COLLINS WAS FLYING AROUND THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE MOON, AS ALONE
AS ANY HUMAN HAD EVER BEEN.
>> MORE THAN HALF OF THE TIME
YOU ARE IN CONTACT WITH HOUSTON
IT IS BLATHER BLATHER BLATHER IN
YOUR EAR.
SO IN A WAY IT IS KIND OF NICE
TO HAVE THAT 40 MINUTES TO
YOURSELF BACK THERE.
I KIND OF ENJOYED IT.
>> BUT SOON ENOUGH, MISSION
CONTROL CAUGHT HIM UP ON THE
HISTORY UNFOLDING 60 MILES
BELOW.
>> I BELIEVE THEY ARE SETTING UP
THE FLAG NOW.
>> GREAT.
>> I GUESS YOU ARE ABOUT THE
ONLY PERSON AROUND THAT DOESN’T
HAVE TV COVERAGE OF THE SCENE.
>> THAT’S ALL RIGHT.
I DON’T MIND A BIT.
>> NOR DID COLLINS MIND THAT HE
WASN’T DOWN THERE WITH ARMSTRONG
AND ALDRIN.
>> WAS THERE ANY PART OF YOU
THAT WAS LIKE I WISH I COULD
HAVE DONE THAT TOO.
>> WELL SURE.
I WISH I COULD HAVE WALKED ON
THE MOON.
BUT I CAN SAY WITH THE UTMOST
HONESTY, I WAS THRILLED TO HAVE
THE PLACE THAT I HAD.
TO BE ONE-THIRD OF JOHN F.
KENNEDY’S CULMINATING DREAM.
SO I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO BEEF
WHATSOEVER.
>> KENNEDY’S DREAM FULFILLED
WITH THOSE FIRST STEP, BUT THE
VOYAGE HOME WAS ANYTHING BUT
CERTAIN.
>> WHAT WORRIED ME BECAUSE THE
RETURN, COMING BACK.
ON THE SURFACE OF THE MOON WE
JUST HAD ONE ASSET ENGINE, THE
FIRE HAD TO CATCH.
IT HAD TO PRODUCE THE RIGHT
THRUST AND THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
IF ONE OF THOSE THINGS DIDN’T
WORK RIGHT, THEY WERE DEAD.
>> THE LUNAR MODULE’S ROCKETS
DID FIRE.
AND AS IT DREW CLOSER TO THE
COMMAND MODULE, COLLINS TOOK
THIS PICTURE.
HE IS THE ONLY HUMAN ALIVE NOT
IN THE FRAME.
THE EARTH, THREE BILLION OF US,
PLUS TWO.
>> YOU HAVE GOT IT UPSIDE DOWN.
I’M SORRY.
THERE.
DOES THAT LOOK BETTER TO YOU
NOW?
>> THANK YOU FOR THE CORRECTION.
>> WHEN WE SPOKE, THAT VIEW FROM
SPACE WAS STILL VERY MUCH ON HIS
MIND.
>> THAT LITTLE ORB OUT YOUR
WINDOW REALLY GRABS YOUR
ATTENTION.
IT SEEMED TO PROJECT A LITTLE
TINY SENSE OF FRAGILITY.
I DON’T KNOW WHY.
THE WORD KEPT -- THAT’S A
FRAGILE LITTLE THING.
>> WITH MISSION ACCOMPLISHED,
THE CREW OF APOLLO 11 MADE IT
SAFELY BACK TO THIS FRAGILE
PLACE.
AND A THANKFUL COLLINS LEFT A
MESSAGE.
>> YOU SEE SCRIBBLED INSIDE THE
SPACECRAFT.
>> YES.
>> YOUR WRITING HERE.
>> SPACECRAFT 107 ALIAS APOLLO
11, ALIAS COLUMBIA.
THE BEST SHIP TO COME DOWN THE
LINE.
GOD BLESS HER.
MICHAEL COLLINS, CMP.
I HATED TO LEAVE IT JUST WITHOUT
SAYING SOMETHING TO GOOD OLD
107.
I SHOULD HAVE PUT THANKS A LOT
ON THERE.
I DON’T THINK I PUT THAT ON.
BUT I SHOULD HAVE.
>> AND THE DAY THAT WE HAD THAT
INTERVIEW, I HAD THE GOOD
FORTUNE TO MEET MICHAEL COLLINS
DAUGHTERS KATE AND ANNE.
AND YESTERDAY THEY POSTED A
PICTURE OF THEIR PARENTS.
THEIR MOTHER PASSED AWAY A
COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
AND THEY SAID THIS IS ONE OF
THEIR ABSOLUTE FAVORITE
PICTURES.
TALK ABOUT, THAT’S THEIR OWN AMAZING LOVE STORY.
AMAZING LOVE STORY.
THEY HAD A MIXED MARRIAGE.
HE WAS PIT STOPEPISCOPALIAN.
SHE WAS CATHOLIC.
AND THAT WHOLE IDEA OF LOOKING
BACK AT EARTH, HE SAYS I’M
CERTAIN IF ANYONE -- EVERYONE
COULD SEE THE EARTH FLOATING
JUST OUTSIDE THEIR WINDOWS,
EVERY DAY WOULD BE EARTH DAY.
>> I SURELY WISH THEY TAUGHT
MORE IN SCHOOLS WHAT MR. COLLINS
EFFORTS WERE ON THE LUNAR
LANDING.
I’M SO GLAD YOU ARE SHINING A
LIGHT ON IT NOW BUT I WISH MORE
KIDS ARE GREW UP KNOWING HIS
EFFORT.
>> YEAH, AND HIS STORY IS, HE
CAME FROM MILITARY FAMILIES,
EXPECTED TO GO TO WEST POINT AND
HIS IDEA THAT HE WANTED TO FLY
AND NOT BE ON THE GROUND WAS ITS
OWN SORT OF AMAZING AMAZING PART
OF HIS HISTORY.
AND HE WROTE A BOOK CALLED
CARRYING THE FIRE.
WHICH IS TO THIS DAY AN
ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIC READ.
>> I WAS JUST GOING BRING THAT
UP.
THAT AND --
>> -- EVERYTHING, YES RIGHT?