Named in honor of Michael Collins (1930– ), U.S. astronaut. In 1966 he served as pilot of the Gemini 10 mission. In 1969 he was assigned to Apollo 11 as the command-module pilot. While Armstrong and Aldrin {see planets  (6469) and  (6470)} took their first walk on the lunar surface, Collins flew a lonely lifeguard assignment for more than 24 hours, waiting for them to launch their lunar craft and rejoin him in lunar orbit. This minor planet commemorates the thirtieth anniversary of the first manned lunar-landing mission. (M 34623) _ _.