Eileen Collins - Awards and Honors

Awards and Honors

Collins has received the Defense Superior Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for service in Grenada (Operation Urgent Fury), the French Legion of Honor, NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal and NASA Space Flight Medals, the Free Spirit Award, and the 2006 National Space Trophy. Collins also has an astronomical observatory named in her honor—the Eileen M. Collins Observatory—run by Corning Community College.

Collins is an inductee of the National Women's Hall Of Fame. She has also been recognized by Encyclopædia Britannica as one of the top 300 women in history who have changed the world.

The main entrance boulevard to Syracuse Hancock International Airport is named in Collins' honor.

The New York State Legislature passed a resolution honoring her career on May 9, 2006. The resolution, which touches on the many highlights of Collins's career, reads, in part, "It is the sense of this Legislative Body to take note of and publicly acknowledge the significant milestones of those individuals from this noble Empire State who have distinguished themselves through their exemplary careers, pioneering spirit and purposeful lives." It was sponsored by State Senator George Winner in the State Senate and Assemblyman Thomas F. O'Mara in the Assembly.

Elmira College awarded Eileen Collins an honorary Doctor of Science degree at the college's 148th Commencement Ceremony on June 4, 2006.

The Women's Board of the Adler Planetarium awarded Eileen Collins their Women in Space Science Award on June 7, 2006.

University College Dublin conferred on Colonel Collins the honorary Doctor of Science degree of the National University of Ireland on 14 June 2006.

In 2007, the Space Foundation awarded Collins the Douglas S. Morrow Public Outreach Award, which is given annually to an individual or organization that has made significant contributions to public awareness of space programs.

Collins is also a member of the Air Force Association, Order of Daedalians, Women Military Aviators, U.S. Space Foundation, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the Ninety-Nines.