Trousers, Space Shuttle, STS-93, Eileen Collins

Shuttle astronauts wear pressure suits for launch and landing, but their in-flight wardrobe consists of comfortable trousers, shorts, and shirts. Velcro strips on the trouser legs are a convenience for keeping small items easily accessible. Eileen Collins wore trousers like these aboard the shuttle Columbia during the STS-93 mission in 1999. Collins was the first woman pilot of a shuttle mission in 1995, and on STS-93 she became the first woman to command a shuttle mission. The main task of the STS-93 mission was to deliver the Chandra X-ray observatory into orbit. NASA sent these trousers to the Museum shortly after Collins' 1999 flight.