Lt Col Nathan S. Collins is currently the Director of Research and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Astronautics at the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado.

Lt Col Collins attended the United States Air Force Academy and graduated in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in Astronautical Engineering. He has served as a spacecraft branch chief, SPO technical director, program manager, and satellite operations engineer. In 2019, Lt Col Collins deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom as an NRO Liaison Officer. Lt Col Collins was selected to attend the Air Force Institute of Technology in 2009 where he earned a Master of Science Degree in 2011.  He was also selected to attend the University of Surrey, Surrey Space Centre, in the United Kingdom where he earned his PhD in Electronic Engineering. In his previous assignment, Lt Col Collins served as the Spacecraft Branch Chief, TDSPO, Operational Defense Division, Survivability Assurance Office, NRO.

Effective Dates of Promotion

Second Lieutenant May 31, 2006
First Lieutenant May 31, 2008
Captain May 31, 2010
Major October 1, 2016
Lieutenant Colonel July 1, 2021

Doctor of Philosophy degree in Electronic Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom (2016)

Master of Science degree in Astronautical Engineering, Air Force Institute of Technology, Dayton, Ohio (2011)

Bachelor of Science degree in Astronautical Engineering, USAFA, Colorado Springs, Colorado (2006)

June 2022 – Present, Director of Research and Assistant Professor of Astronautics, Department of Astronautics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado

June 2021 – June 2022, Deputy Department Head and Assistant Professor of Astronautics, Department of Astronautics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado

August 2020 – June 2021, Deputy for Operations and Assistant Professor of Astronautics, Department of Astronautics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado

October 2019 – August 2020, Spacecraft Branch Chief, TDSPO, Operational Defense Division, Survivability Assurance Office, NRO, Chantilly, Virginia

April 2019 – October 2019, NRO LNO to Combined Air & Space Operations Center (CAOC), Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar

October 2018 – April 2019, Program Manager/Technical Director, XSPO, Survivability Assurance Office, NRO, Chantilly, Virginia

October 2016 – October 2018, Chief, Advanced Systems Branch, Survivability Assurance Office, NRO, Chantilly, Virginia

August 2013 – October 2016, Graduate Student, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom

June 2013 – August 2013, Assistant Professor of Astronautics, Department of Astronautics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado

May 2012 – June 2013, Instructor of Astronautics, Department of Astronautics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado

April 2011 – May 2012, Instructor, Department of Mathematics, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado

August 2009 – April 2011, Graduate Student, U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

August 2006 – August 2009, GPS Navigation Payload Engineer, 2^nd Space Operations Squadron, Schriever AFB, Colorado

Awards

Outstanding Academy Educator, Department of Astronautics (2022)
John P. Wittry Award, top instructor of Engineering Design, Department of Astronautics (2022)
Awarded Institute of Navigation’s Navigation Research Excellence Award, Air Force Institute of Technology (2011)

Decorations

Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award
National Defense Service Medal
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
Global War on Terrorism Service Medal