The first woman to command a space shuttle mission was Eileen Collins. She flew the Space Shuttle Columbia on the STS-93 mission in July 1999, making her the first female pilot of a space shuttle and later the first female commander in NASA’s history. Collins' leadership in this mission, which deployed the Chandra X-ray Observatory, marked a significant milestone in space exploration and women's representation in traditionally male-dominated fields. Her pioneering role inspired future generations of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), highlighting the importance of female leadership in aerospace endeavors.