Which astronaut are you most closely connected to?

+29 votes
2.4k views

This week we're featuring Michael Collins, Apollo 11 astronaut who recently passed away, in the Connection Finder.

Featured alongside him are other astronauts:

Who are you most closely connected to? If you're one of the 22,506,000 of us who are connected to each other on our big tree you can check with the Connection Finder.

You can check for shared ancestors with the Relationship Finder. Are you a cousin to any of them? Your Relationship Finder Quick Links page (see your profile pull-down menu under "Relationships") has quick links for several notable groups.

Let us know below! If you want to share your connection on social media with cousins and friends, click the "get shareable image" below the results, e.g. on this connection between Sally Ride and Neil Armstrong. Then just upload it along with the URL of your direct connection. (Please refrain from sharing your connection on the featured profiles, though. It clutters conversations on research and collaboration. Thanks!)

P.S. Help us choose and improve profiles for next week's feature: Ghosts!

WikiTree profile: Michael Collins
in The Tree House by Abby Glann G2G6 Pilot (718k points)
reshown by Chris Whitten

53 Answers

+12 votes

I am most closely connected to Sally Ride and Edward White at 20 degrees.

updated on 25 May 2022

by Tommy Buch G2G Astronaut (1.8m points)
edited by Tommy Buch
+14 votes
Iam the closed conectted to Michael Collins with 26 degrees.
by Herman Overmars G2G6 Mach 4 (44.5k points)
+13 votes
I am most closely connected to Gus Grissom at 26 degrees.
by Samantha Thomson G2G6 Pilot (252k points)
+12 votes

I am 14th cousins with Gus Grissom. How cool.

I am also 13th cousins once removed with Sally Ride.

They are both related to me on my father’s side. I did not know until I just looked. Very cool!

Missy smiley

by Missy Berryann G2G6 Pilot (215k points)
Hi Missy, I've just checked and you and I are 14th cousins!

Jenny x
Cool, hello cousin!
+12 votes
Michael Collins and Neil Armstrong tied at 19 degrees.

I was hoping that those who were trying to tie in the Russian cosmonauts and perhaps an X-pilot (flying above 50 miles is generally considered space flight) would succeed, but I know that some of those connections are hard to find.
by Steve Ryan G2G6 Mach 7 (78.2k points)
+12 votes
Virgil "Gus" Grissom - 9th cousin, 19 degrees
by Cortland Lowe G2G6 Mach 1 (14.1k points)
+13 votes
I am closest to Gus Grissom.  18 Degrees and 8th cousin 1x removed.
by Living McCurdy G2G6 Mach 2 (21.6k points)
+11 votes
Closest Connection-Virgil Grisson-17 Degrees

Closest Relationship-Michael Collins-10th Cousins, 2x Removed
by Kae-Leah Williamson G2G6 Mach 3 (30.1k points)
+10 votes
by Scott Fulkerson G2G Astronaut (1.5m points)
+10 votes
19 degrees from Edward White (10th cousins)
19 degrees from Michael Collins (9th cousins, 2x removed)
20 degrees from Virgil Grissom (10th cousins, 2x removed)
21 degrees from Sally Ride (18th cousins, 5x removed)
22 degrees from Neil Armstrong
22 degrees from Edward White
23 degrees from Judith Resnik
23 degrees from Christa McAuliffe
24 degrees from Dick Scobee
27 degrees from Ellison Onizuka
30 degrees from Wubbo Johannes Ockels
31 degrees from Michael Phillip Anderson
by Mike Wells G2G6 Pilot (131k points)
edited by Mike Wells
+9 votes
I am surprised to learn that I am 8th cousin 3x removed to Gus Grissom.  Everyone else is 20 degrees or more away.
by Deb Roberts G2G6 (7.0k points)
+9 votes
  • 19 degrees from Michael Collins (10th Cousin 2X Removed) 
  • 19 degrees from Virgil Grissom (14th Cousin Uncertain)
  • 20 degrees from Dick Scobee
  • 21 degrees from Edward White
  • 22 degrees from Sally Ride (20th Cousin)
  • 23 degrees from Judith Resnik
  • 24 degrees from Christa McAuliffe
  • 24 degrees from Neil Armstrong
  • 25 degrees from Ellison Onizuka
  • 25 degrees from Frances Piercy - Reins
  • 27 degrees from Wubbo Johannes  Ockels
  • 32 degrees from Michael Phillip Anderson
by Jennifer Robins G2G6 Pilot (246k points)
edited by Jennifer Robins
+8 votes
Very cool! Michael Collins is my 10th cousin 1 time removed. Our common ancestor is Thomas Wheeler (1561-1635), through my Parkhurst line through his Canfield line.

It never ceases to amaze me how connected we are to one another.
by Marilyn Kenyon G2G6 Mach 2 (29.3k points)
Hi Marilyn, you and I are 14th Cousins!

Jenny x
+8 votes
18 degrees from Maj Gen Michael Collins, Collins-17312, 10th cousins, MRCA(s) Mary (Unknown) Langton, Unknown-362319, Henry Wheeler, Wheeler-1039

19 degrees from Dr. Sally Kristen Ride, Ride-21, 19th cousins once removed, MRCA Richard (FitzAlan) de Arundel, FitzAlan-29

23 degrees from Judith Resnik

23 degrees from Neil Armstrong

23 degrees from Francis Richard Scobee

23 degrees from Edward White

24 degrees from Lt Col Virgil Ivan Grissom, Grissom-454, 13th cousins once removed, MRCA Guthlac Overton MP, Overton-42

24 degrees from Ellison Onizuka

26 degrees from Christa (Corrigan) McAuliffe

27 degrees from Wubbo Johannes Ockels

36 degrees from Michael Phillip Anderson
by Mildred Wheeler G2G6 Mach 7 (77.2k points)
edited by Mildred Wheeler
+7 votes

16 degrees from Michael Collins, who is my 7th cousin. I believe he is my first notable with a direct connection.

by Mike French G2G Crew (790 points)
+7 votes
Hello everyone!

I am actually 7th cousins twice removed with Neil Armstrong, so that is something like 17 degrees away?
by Alex Fransen G2G6 Mach 4 (40.6k points)
+7 votes
I (Donn-50) am 17 degrees from Alan Shepard (Shepard-1194) and we are both descended from Nathaniel (Warren-71), the first son of Mayflower passenger Richard Warren (Warren-66).
by Karl Donn G2G Crew (750 points)
+7 votes

Wubbo of course! 24 degrees. Second is Michael Collins: 27 degrees.

Well we are connected but I think there is a lot of SPACE between us! laugh

by Astrid Spaargaren G2G6 Pilot (278k points)
I had not realized that Wubbo actually flew on Challenger in the last mission before it exploded. Close shave.
Yes! He was one of the lucky ones Isabelle.
+7 votes
My connection is not listed but is Stuart Roosa Aug 16, 1933- Dec 12, 1994
by Irv Miller G2G Crew (710 points)

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