âThird manâ of the moon landing dies at 90 Weâre sorry, this service is currently unavailable. Please try again later. Dismiss By Richard Goldstein Save Normal text size MICHAEL COLLINS: 1930 - 2021 Michael Collins, who piloted the Apollo 11 spacecraft Columbia in orbit 97 kilometres above the moon while his crewmates, Neil Armstrong and Colonel Buzz Aldrin, became the first men to walk on the lunar surface, died on Wednesday at a hospice facility in Naples, Florida. He was 90. A statement released by Mr Collinsâs family on Twitter said the cause was cancer. Apollo 11 command module pilot astronaut Michael Collins takes a break during training for the moon mission, in Cape Kennedy, Florida.