13 Real Stories of Astronaut Isolation That Make Space Look Terrifying

1. Michael Collins’ Solo Orbit Around the Moon

During the Apollo 11 mission, astronaut Michael Collins orbited the Moon alone in the command module for nearly 21 hours, completely out of radio contact with both Earth and his fellow astronauts. This profound isolation earned him the nickname ‘the loneliest man.’ Collins later described the experience as both terrifying and tranquil. (nationalgeographic.com)