Eileen Collins commanded STS-114 Discovery, NASA's first shuttle launch since the Columbia disaster, becoming the only woman to command a shuttle twice.
On July 26, 2005, Eileen Collins commanded the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery on mission STS-114, NASA's critical 'Return to Flight' mission and the first Shuttle launch since the catastrophic loss of Space Shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven on February 1, 2003.
This mission carried enormous weight for NASA and the nation, as the agency worked to restore confidence in the Space Shuttle program following an extensive investigation into the Columbia disaster, which had been caused by foam debris damaging the orbiter's wing during launch. Collins was entrusted with this historic and high-pressure command, becoming, as of this mission, the only woman to have commanded a Space Shuttle mission twice, following her first command of STS-93 in 1999.
The mission implemented numerous new safety protocols developed in response to the Columbia accident, including in-flight inspection techniques for thermal protection tiles and repair capabilities, along with rigorous imagery analysis during ascent. Collins's leadership during this uniquely scrutinized and consequential mission underscored her standing as one of the most trusted and skilled commanders in NASA's history.
Her selection to lead this mission reflected NASA's confidence not just in her piloting skills but in her judgment, calm demeanor, and leadership under extraordinary pressure, at a moment when the future of American human spaceflight hung in the balance.