1 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:16,960 [Music] 2 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:18,930 well I came out of West Virginia 3 00:00:25,460 --> 00:00:22,170 University as a an ROTC student meaning 4 00:00:27,830 --> 00:00:25,470 the Reserve Officer Training Corps and I 5 00:00:31,189 --> 00:00:27,840 was a second lieutenant and I was 6 00:00:33,259 --> 00:00:31,199 transferred to Huntsville Alabama the 7 00:00:36,140 --> 00:00:33,269 Redstone Arsenal and I was here for 8 00:00:39,369 --> 00:00:36,150 about two years as a lieutenant and the 9 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:39,379 army got to know the missile people and 10 00:00:46,969 --> 00:00:43,890 lo and behold Eisenhower decided to 11 00:00:48,049 --> 00:00:46,979 create something called NASA the 12 00:00:50,719 --> 00:00:48,059 National Aeronautics and Space 13 00:00:55,579 --> 00:00:50,729 Administration and in fact all of us 14 00:00:58,130 --> 00:00:55,589 about 4,000 of us basically left the 15 00:01:00,289 --> 00:00:58,140 army and went to work for the space 16 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:00,299 agency and von Braun of course was the 17 00:01:06,109 --> 00:01:03,570 director and we put together a program 18 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:06,119 of about four thousand guys and gals and 19 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:08,490 started what's known today as the 20 00:01:13,039 --> 00:01:09,650 Marshall Space Flight Center 21 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:13,049 almost immediately after that agency was 22 00:01:18,740 --> 00:01:16,170 established the President Kennedy 23 00:01:20,210 --> 00:01:18,750 declared we're gonna go to the moon and 24 00:01:22,670 --> 00:01:20,220 we're going to go to the moon within 25 00:01:25,690 --> 00:01:22,680 this decade and by the way we're gonna 26 00:01:29,960 --> 00:01:25,700 kick the Russians but in space so that 27 00:01:32,780 --> 00:01:29,970 created a whole effort by the Marshall 28 00:01:36,260 --> 00:01:32,790 Center and we were young yeah I think I 29 00:01:39,430 --> 00:01:36,270 was 26 27 years old and one of my jobs 30 00:01:42,620 --> 00:01:39,440 primarily job was handling the press and 31 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:42,630 in those days we were just beginning to 32 00:01:47,180 --> 00:01:44,850 get into the Saturn program that big 33 00:01:49,969 --> 00:01:47,190 rocket that made a lot of noise and got 34 00:01:51,950 --> 00:01:49,979 people's attention and so once the 35 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:51,960 President had made this commitment to go 36 00:01:57,230 --> 00:01:54,530 to the moon we began to ground test our 37 00:02:00,590 --> 00:01:57,240 Saturn rockets and my job was to take 38 00:02:02,780 --> 00:02:00,600 the press to the test site and bring him 39 00:02:06,140 --> 00:02:02,790 up close and watch the test fine had 40 00:02:09,410 --> 00:02:06,150 this one reporter from New York who came 41 00:02:11,539 --> 00:02:09,420 to seal a test firing and he set up his 42 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:11,549 camera and he was going to record the 43 00:02:19,220 --> 00:02:14,970 entire test and this was the closest 44 00:02:21,649 --> 00:02:19,230 that I had ever brought a newsman to the 45 00:02:23,629 --> 00:02:21,659 test and in fact I was told by my boss 46 00:02:25,879 --> 00:02:23,639 bring the guy as close as you can 47 00:02:27,920 --> 00:02:25,889 because we want to really impress him so 48 00:02:30,020 --> 00:02:27,930 I did we were about 49 00:02:33,729 --> 00:02:30,030 two thousand two thousand yards away 50 00:02:37,190 --> 00:02:33,739 from the saturn v test stand and we were 51 00:02:40,179 --> 00:02:37,200 cooking up and and i I began to explain 52 00:02:43,429 --> 00:02:40,189 to this this reporter and and and 53 00:02:45,589 --> 00:02:43,439 photographer look we're very close to 54 00:02:48,349 --> 00:02:45,599 this machine and when this goes off 55 00:02:51,379 --> 00:02:48,359 you're going to see a lot of flame 56 00:02:53,780 --> 00:02:51,389 you're gonna feel a vibration and you 57 00:02:56,929 --> 00:02:53,790 probably may want to go back further and 58 00:02:58,729 --> 00:02:56,939 get some shelter and he said young man 59 00:03:01,309 --> 00:02:58,739 I've been all over the world I have 60 00:03:03,110 --> 00:03:01,319 covered floods I've covered tornadoes 61 00:03:07,069 --> 00:03:03,120 Wars I think I can handle this little 62 00:03:09,920 --> 00:03:07,079 rocket engine firing so we waited for 63 00:03:12,080 --> 00:03:09,930 the bells and whistles to go off as they 64 00:03:14,270 --> 00:03:12,090 did in the test lab warning everybody 65 00:03:16,670 --> 00:03:14,280 that we're about to fire and sure enough 66 00:03:19,789 --> 00:03:16,680 they turn that big Saturn 5 booster on 67 00:03:21,259 --> 00:03:19,799 and for a few seconds the flame just 68 00:03:26,089 --> 00:03:21,269 sort of hangs there and all of a sudden 69 00:03:29,270 --> 00:03:26,099 it just blows out and the reporter not 70 00:03:32,000 --> 00:03:29,280 only knocked over his camera but he ran 71 00:03:35,990 --> 00:03:32,010 across the cotton field and then not get 72 00:03:38,869 --> 00:03:36,000 one foot of footage of the Saturn 5 test 73 00:03:41,030 --> 00:03:38,879 at which I was able to go back and get 74 00:03:42,860 --> 00:03:41,040 some some footage and give it to him 75 00:03:44,390 --> 00:03:42,870 I never heard from him again I don't 76 00:03:45,860 --> 00:03:44,400 know whether he ever use it or not but I 77 00:03:48,860 --> 00:03:45,870 know that was an interesting experience 78 00:03:51,020 --> 00:03:48,870 for our reporter who came to see a 79 00:03:53,869 --> 00:03:51,030 Saturn 5 test-firing for that in those 80 00:03:56,330 --> 00:03:53,879 days we were very active in the press 81 00:03:59,300 --> 00:03:56,340 and one of the things that had happened 82 00:04:01,490 --> 00:03:59,310 we had all these laboratories we had to 83 00:04:04,429 --> 00:04:01,500 test laboratory computer laboratory and 84 00:04:08,629 --> 00:04:04,439 it we you know we were designing 85 00:04:11,449 --> 00:04:08,639 developing creating and and testing 86 00:04:13,849 --> 00:04:11,459 rockets here would that's we were in the 87 00:04:16,399 --> 00:04:13,859 rocket business early on and we were 88 00:04:20,210 --> 00:04:16,409 building big rockets with Saturn one 89 00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:20,220 sound 1b Saturn 5 and that was a really 90 00:04:25,610 --> 00:04:23,250 exciting time because we just we would 91 00:04:26,899 --> 00:04:25,620 see a lots of press people they wanted 92 00:04:28,520 --> 00:04:26,909 to see von Braun they wanted to 93 00:04:31,100 --> 00:04:28,530 interview von Braun but they also wanted 94 00:04:33,409 --> 00:04:31,110 to see a Saturn 5 test firing so that 95 00:04:35,629 --> 00:04:33,419 was a big deal for us to be a part of 96 00:04:37,820 --> 00:04:35,639 that and and really launched the Saturn 97 00:04:44,490 --> 00:04:37,830 program which eventually was the machine 98 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:48,270 I really think President Kennedy found 99 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:51,250 something in us that we didn't know we 100 00:04:56,850 --> 00:04:54,730 had at the time we had done missiles we 101 00:04:58,890 --> 00:04:56,860 had done a lot of rockets with the 102 00:05:01,770 --> 00:04:58,900 missile army people but we had never 103 00:05:06,470 --> 00:05:01,780 really been challenged to do something 104 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:06,480 like fly astronauts out of Earth orbit 105 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:09,970 240,000 miles away and I think von Braun 106 00:05:16,170 --> 00:05:13,810 was the perfect person to be engaged in 107 00:05:19,860 --> 00:05:16,180 all of that because he had he had the 108 00:05:22,830 --> 00:05:19,870 vision that we didn't really have a feel 109 00:05:26,070 --> 00:05:22,840 for at our level and he was seeing the 110 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:26,080 future way beyond us and he put together 111 00:05:32,910 --> 00:05:29,890 one heck of a team of people to develop 112 00:05:35,340 --> 00:05:32,920 the rocket and you know you go down the 113 00:05:37,020 --> 00:05:35,350 hall to the water fountain that's where 114 00:05:38,490 --> 00:05:37,030 all the major decisions were made by the 115 00:05:42,270 --> 00:05:38,500 way in those days at the water fountain 116 00:05:47,790 --> 00:05:42,280 and you would hear four words Saturn man 117 00:05:51,660 --> 00:05:47,800 moon decade we had a passion about what 118 00:05:54,180 --> 00:05:51,670 we were challenged to do and I think we 119 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:54,190 began to realize that we were really 120 00:05:57,750 --> 00:05:56,170 going to do this we were going to go to 121 00:06:00,710 --> 00:05:57,760 the moon we were gonna launch astronauts 122 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:00,720 to the moon we ended up launching nine 123 00:06:06,390 --> 00:06:03,970 Saturn fives to the moon and six of 124 00:06:08,460 --> 00:06:06,400 those crews landed and we did all that 125 00:06:11,640 --> 00:06:08,470 went in a short period of time eight 126 00:06:15,090 --> 00:06:11,650 years but I think at that time we had 127 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:15,100 the right people we had the the 128 00:06:20,310 --> 00:06:17,050 commitment for the president knighted 129 00:06:22,560 --> 00:06:20,320 States we had the money and we were 130 00:06:24,660 --> 00:06:22,570 turned loose to really make this happen 131 00:06:26,820 --> 00:06:24,670 you didn't go home until you had 132 00:06:29,400 --> 00:06:26,830 finished her work that was pretty 133 00:06:31,940 --> 00:06:29,410 standard in those days late to bed early 134 00:06:35,400 --> 00:06:31,950 to rise work like hell and advertise and 135 00:06:37,580 --> 00:06:35,410 we were committed to make it happen and 136 00:06:40,890 --> 00:06:37,590 I think with the President's commitment 137 00:06:44,490 --> 00:06:40,900 challenged us and and we were not only 138 00:06:46,230 --> 00:06:44,500 we were reinvade our partners at the 139 00:06:48,840 --> 00:06:46,240 Cape and we had our partners at the 140 00:06:50,850 --> 00:06:48,850 Houston facility so and then Mississippi 141 00:06:54,270 --> 00:06:50,860 Tess and Michou all came together and 142 00:06:57,370 --> 00:06:54,280 that was an unbelievable group of people 143 00:06:59,230 --> 00:06:57,380 that had the dream and 144 00:07:02,350 --> 00:06:59,240 and we had the commitment to make this 145 00:07:04,900 --> 00:07:02,360 thing happen so I think it was a special 146 00:07:07,570 --> 00:07:04,910 time and and I think within the 147 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:07,580 eight-year period we accomplished what 148 00:07:20,780 --> 00:07:16,820 when I got here and about 50,000 people 149 00:07:21,260 --> 00:07:20,790 and Huntsville was a really a cotton 150 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:21,270 town 151 00:07:26,210 --> 00:07:23,850 we did have Redstone Arsenal indeed they 152 00:07:27,980 --> 00:07:26,220 had been in the the a munitions business 153 00:07:30,730 --> 00:07:27,990 and so forth then they got into the the 154 00:07:34,850 --> 00:07:30,740 missile business so for about ten years 155 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:34,860 that the institution called Redstone 156 00:07:41,170 --> 00:07:37,410 Arsenal grew from a small group of 157 00:07:44,060 --> 00:07:41,180 people to some very well-qualified 158 00:07:46,820 --> 00:07:44,070 especially engineering people so it was 159 00:07:49,910 --> 00:07:46,830 it was you know pretty pretty sizeable 160 00:07:54,310 --> 00:07:49,920 Marshall came along and added roughly 161 00:07:58,280 --> 00:07:54,320 7,000 people so we went from the small 162 00:08:01,520 --> 00:07:58,290 southern town to something that was 163 00:08:03,200 --> 00:08:01,530 quite sizable and growing fast in fact 164 00:08:06,020 --> 00:08:03,210 it the city did grow fast 165 00:08:08,420 --> 00:08:06,030 we enjoyed Huntsville when we first got 166 00:08:10,550 --> 00:08:08,430 here because it was a small town and we 167 00:08:12,470 --> 00:08:10,560 felt like we were still back in our 168 00:08:15,680 --> 00:08:12,480 little you know hometown we grew up in 169 00:08:17,900 --> 00:08:15,690 and then eventually though it grew to 170 00:08:19,940 --> 00:08:17,910 become pretty substantial and I think 171 00:08:23,030 --> 00:08:19,950 the city fathers did a good job of 172 00:08:24,860 --> 00:08:23,040 preparing the community for growth and I 173 00:08:28,659 --> 00:08:24,870 think in overall we've been very 174 00:08:32,690 --> 00:08:28,669 fortunate to have a well-developed well 175 00:08:34,850 --> 00:08:32,700 controlled city that you know we enjoy 176 00:08:36,469 --> 00:08:34,860 raising our families here and we have 177 00:08:39,050 --> 00:08:36,479 great schools and and then we have 178 00:08:42,950 --> 00:08:39,060 colleges and so forth so it's it's been 179 00:08:46,120 --> 00:08:42,960 an impressive view to see that that 180 00:08:49,370 --> 00:08:46,130 community go from that fifty thousand 181 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:49,380 population to approaching well over two 182 00:08:54,050 --> 00:08:51,210 hundred thousand I take it today so yes 183 00:08:59,520 --> 00:08:54,060 and it's it's still the rocket city as 184 00:09:04,350 --> 00:09:01,890 you know we really didn't have any 185 00:09:07,680 --> 00:09:04,360 connection with that situation in 186 00:09:11,370 --> 00:09:07,690 Montgomery it was like we were so 187 00:09:12,990 --> 00:09:11,380 committed to the moon landing Huntsville 188 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:13,000 was kind of like a little separate 189 00:09:17,670 --> 00:09:15,970 community from the rest of the state you 190 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:17,680 had a lot of people that had moved in 191 00:09:23,460 --> 00:09:20,050 here from other locations in the in the 192 00:09:26,700 --> 00:09:23,470 country and we were just not engaged 193 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:26,710 with that we invited governor Wallace to 194 00:09:33,210 --> 00:09:29,530 come to the Marshall Center and it was a 195 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:33,220 big deal because Webb came to town von 196 00:09:36,900 --> 00:09:35,410 Braun of course was here and they were 197 00:09:39,450 --> 00:09:36,910 you know they were they were they 198 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:39,460 invited him to come and he came to watch 199 00:09:45,420 --> 00:09:43,330 a Saturn one test firing and he was just 200 00:09:48,270 --> 00:09:45,430 a perfect gentleman I can assure you 201 00:09:51,510 --> 00:09:48,280 that staff meetings before that visit 202 00:09:54,720 --> 00:09:51,520 went long and strong because we were all 203 00:09:58,620 --> 00:09:54,730 nervous about the press was going to 204 00:10:01,110 --> 00:09:58,630 take over create a situation that we 205 00:10:03,270 --> 00:10:01,120 would not want to embarrass mr. Webb and 206 00:10:06,150 --> 00:10:03,280 certainly one of them Brown because of 207 00:10:08,760 --> 00:10:06,160 the politicians coming to town it turned 208 00:10:11,250 --> 00:10:08,770 out that governor Wallace was just he 209 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:11,260 was perfect gentleman and it was a it 210 00:10:17,810 --> 00:10:14,290 was a great relationship that developed 211 00:10:20,400 --> 00:10:17,820 between politics and the space program 212 00:10:23,730 --> 00:10:20,410 he saw what we were doing and he was 213 00:10:26,550 --> 00:10:23,740 extremely impressed I don't think he had 214 00:10:28,950 --> 00:10:26,560 any idea the size of the Saturn Rockets 215 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:28,960 he'd heard about missiles being fired 216 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:31,210 and so forth but he was really we took 217 00:10:35,550 --> 00:10:33,850 him right up close to the booster and he 218 00:10:39,060 --> 00:10:35,560 had a chance to see a ground test firing 219 00:10:43,050 --> 00:10:39,070 so of course von Braun was the master 220 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:43,060 politician he never had any problems 221 00:10:48,750 --> 00:10:45,730 dealing with people he made you feel 222 00:10:51,540 --> 00:10:48,760 comfortable and he believed it was 223 00:10:54,510 --> 00:10:51,550 important for us to connect with the 224 00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:54,520 state of Alabama and be a part of the 225 00:11:00,390 --> 00:10:56,530 government where we needed to 226 00:11:01,710 --> 00:11:00,400 participate or where we could help the 227 00:11:03,510 --> 00:11:01,720 state of Alabama and we did that of 228 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:03,520 course one of the things that happened 229 00:11:08,520 --> 00:11:05,650 out of that was the state of Alabama 230 00:11:11,520 --> 00:11:08,530 built the u.s. space & Rocket Center von 231 00:11:12,990 --> 00:11:11,530 Browns idea and he got governor Wallace 232 00:11:15,660 --> 00:11:13,000 and others to support that 233 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:15,670 and that was paid for by the state of 234 00:11:27,230 --> 00:11:25,070 oh he was one heck of a Salesman we 235 00:11:29,990 --> 00:11:27,240 didn't have to do much sale selling of 236 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:30,000 the program when Warner was in town I 237 00:11:36,260 --> 00:11:32,970 think he had that ability to communicate 238 00:11:38,269 --> 00:11:36,270 and here's a rocket scientists that you 239 00:11:41,480 --> 00:11:38,279 would expect would be talking to you in 240 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:41,490 technical terms and so forth it didn't 241 00:11:46,220 --> 00:11:42,410 make any difference 242 00:11:50,450 --> 00:11:46,230 whoever was in the audience one of them 243 00:11:54,170 --> 00:11:50,460 Brown would connect first of all he 244 00:11:56,300 --> 00:11:54,180 believed in the team he really did 245 00:11:58,640 --> 00:11:56,310 believe that we could make the landing 246 00:12:00,590 --> 00:11:58,650 within the decade and a lot of us I can 247 00:12:03,940 --> 00:12:00,600 tell you right now didn't think we'd 248 00:12:08,140 --> 00:12:03,950 ever make the cut by 69 he was a great 249 00:12:12,410 --> 00:12:08,150 team manager he knew his people so well 250 00:12:14,930 --> 00:12:12,420 that he could he could call up and he 251 00:12:17,810 --> 00:12:14,940 would not necessarily just call the the 252 00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:17,820 this the lab director he might call a 253 00:12:24,890 --> 00:12:20,490 guy or a gal three or four levels down 254 00:12:28,579 --> 00:12:24,900 to get an answer to a question so he was 255 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:28,589 an unusual technical guy not only did he 256 00:12:34,250 --> 00:12:31,170 have tremendous technical skills but 257 00:12:37,490 --> 00:12:34,260 when he sat down to interview be 258 00:12:41,210 --> 00:12:37,500 interviewed by a TV or a news reporter 259 00:12:44,810 --> 00:12:41,220 it was the guy walked away tremendously 260 00:12:46,670 --> 00:12:44,820 impressed and it was usable it didn't 261 00:12:49,640 --> 00:12:46,680 sound like some technical guy that was 262 00:12:52,160 --> 00:12:49,650 trying to speak over your head so he 263 00:12:55,519 --> 00:12:52,170 taught us all the fact that we needed to 264 00:12:55,940 --> 00:12:55,529 be able to tell our story open up the 265 00:12:59,900 --> 00:12:55,950 gates 266 00:13:02,720 --> 00:12:59,910 we had a unbelievable number of visitors 267 00:13:05,990 --> 00:13:02,730 we were open for business I'm telling 268 00:13:08,210 --> 00:13:06,000 you we a day would not go by that we 269 00:13:11,210 --> 00:13:08,220 didn't have all kinds of visitors coming 270 00:13:12,680 --> 00:13:11,220 not only to see this the Marshall Space 271 00:13:15,199 --> 00:13:12,690 Flight Center but hopefully see a 272 00:13:16,850 --> 00:13:15,209 test-firing but for sure to go in one of 273 00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:16,860 the labs and see one of the boosters 274 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:19,130 under development or under construction 275 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:23,010 so we were selling the thing all the 276 00:13:27,350 --> 00:13:25,050 time and of course von Braun was right 277 00:13:30,460 --> 00:13:27,360 out there helping us do that and I think 278 00:13:34,100 --> 00:13:30,470 he believed that the American public the 279 00:13:35,000 --> 00:13:34,110 taxpayer deserved to know what was being 280 00:13:36,890 --> 00:13:35,010 done 281 00:13:39,380 --> 00:13:36,900 we really gonna go to the moon are we 282 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:39,390 gonna be successful and he felt like we 283 00:13:44,510 --> 00:13:42,450 had an obligation to let the tax payer 284 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:44,520 know that this is your money and we're 285 00:13:47,810 --> 00:13:46,290 gonna use this money to go to the moon 286 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:47,820 and we're gonna we're gonna beat the 287 00:13:53,420 --> 00:13:50,970 Russians to the moon so he was a perfect 288 00:13:55,370 --> 00:13:53,430 boss to have and he would listen to us 289 00:13:57,710 --> 00:13:55,380 when you know we would advise him that 290 00:13:59,480 --> 00:13:57,720 we need to get some attention here we 291 00:14:01,610 --> 00:13:59,490 need to take some people to the Cape for 292 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:01,620 a launch and we would do that we would 293 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:05,370 take leaders of the communities down to 294 00:14:09,680 --> 00:14:07,050 the Cape to see a launch that was pretty 295 00:14:11,570 --> 00:14:09,690 popular in those days to load them up in 296 00:14:13,910 --> 00:14:11,580 an airplane go what go watch a firing 297 00:14:17,000 --> 00:14:13,920 and see a launch so he was a PR man's 298 00:14:20,540 --> 00:14:17,010 dream as far as being able to deal with 299 00:14:23,060 --> 00:14:20,550 him and have him available to us and 300 00:14:24,650 --> 00:14:23,070 when we needed him to tell the story he 301 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:24,660 never wanted to waste time he was the 302 00:14:30,260 --> 00:14:27,530 kind of guy that never took you know 303 00:14:31,970 --> 00:14:30,270 time to do this or do that he was very 304 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:31,980 much committed to making something 305 00:14:36,650 --> 00:14:34,890 happen even as he went waterskiing and 306 00:14:38,420 --> 00:14:36,660 so forth he wanted to be make sure 307 00:14:40,910 --> 00:14:38,430 everybody was active doing something 308 00:14:43,430 --> 00:14:40,920 somebody had a job he's driving the boat 309 00:14:45,830 --> 00:14:43,440 or floating on the deck or on the book 310 00:14:47,270 --> 00:14:45,840 on the and the skis are doing something 311 00:14:52,490 --> 00:14:47,280 he wanted to make sure everybody was 312 00:14:57,380 --> 00:14:55,550 well when Sputnik was launched I was 313 00:15:00,500 --> 00:14:57,390 working on the West Virginia University 314 00:15:02,060 --> 00:15:00,510 newspaper that night I was backed in the 315 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:02,070 slot and we were putting the paper 316 00:15:07,730 --> 00:15:04,890 together and a big machine in the back 317 00:15:10,490 --> 00:15:07,740 room started going off all bells ringing 318 00:15:12,140 --> 00:15:10,500 and you know when that when you heard 319 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:12,150 that you thought there's a war or 320 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:13,290 something gonna happen and sure enough 321 00:15:19,070 --> 00:15:16,410 the announcement came out was the 322 00:15:21,410 --> 00:15:19,080 Russians have launched a Sputnik well we 323 00:15:23,240 --> 00:15:21,420 thought it was a potato at first because 324 00:15:24,950 --> 00:15:23,250 we didn't know what Sputnik was nobody 325 00:15:26,930 --> 00:15:24,960 could spell it so we called the 326 00:15:29,600 --> 00:15:26,940 professor and he looked into it he said 327 00:15:31,850 --> 00:15:29,610 yes it's some kind of a device that 328 00:15:33,380 --> 00:15:31,860 they've launched in space well is it we 329 00:15:35,270 --> 00:15:33,390 were asking is it gonna come down or 330 00:15:39,650 --> 00:15:35,280 what's gonna happen and you know we were 331 00:15:41,780 --> 00:15:39,660 shocked that that happened and then 332 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:41,790 after I looked back and realized what 333 00:15:45,530 --> 00:15:42,330 happened 334 00:15:47,060 --> 00:15:45,540 we actually had Explorer one ready to go 335 00:15:49,370 --> 00:15:47,070 before Sputnik 336 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:49,380 but consequently the politics and so 337 00:15:54,560 --> 00:15:51,810 forth got all involved and it was 338 00:15:57,740 --> 00:15:54,570 delayed and we eventually launched it 339 00:16:00,110 --> 00:15:57,750 and that really I think convinced all of 340 00:16:01,790 --> 00:16:00,120 us that we could do something with these 341 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:01,800 rockets and then the next thing you know 342 00:16:08,060 --> 00:16:04,370 we launched Alan Shepard May 5 1961 343 00:16:10,820 --> 00:16:08,070 first American to fly on a rocket and I 344 00:16:14,060 --> 00:16:10,830 really believed that was the mission 345 00:16:16,340 --> 00:16:14,070 that was the event that got everybody 346 00:16:18,230 --> 00:16:16,350 pumped up we were challenged by the 347 00:16:22,220 --> 00:16:18,240 Russians in fact I think the Russians 348 00:16:24,620 --> 00:16:22,230 really kicked us in to the movement to 349 00:16:27,260 --> 00:16:24,630 make this thing happen and we love to 350 00:16:30,470 --> 00:16:27,270 beat them you know in fact we as every 351 00:16:35,410 --> 00:16:30,480 time we had a launch of an Apollo to the 352 00:16:37,790 --> 00:16:35,420 moon we sent a newspaper clipping and 353 00:16:42,079 --> 00:16:37,800 photographed to all the Russian 354 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:42,089 newspapers and and publications we never 355 00:16:46,220 --> 00:16:44,490 heard a word so you know the Russian 356 00:16:48,050 --> 00:16:46,230 people really didn't know that there was 357 00:16:53,769 --> 00:16:48,060 a competition going on between the US 358 00:17:00,759 --> 00:16:57,150 well saturn v launch was a major event 359 00:17:03,819 --> 00:17:00,769 we would about six of us would go there 360 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:03,829 about three days before liftoff and of 361 00:17:11,169 --> 00:17:06,730 course the the press I think when we had 362 00:17:14,289 --> 00:17:11,179 Apollo 11 there were something like a 363 00:17:17,620 --> 00:17:14,299 thousand members of the press certified 364 00:17:20,319 --> 00:17:17,630 to watch that lunch so we brought him in 365 00:17:22,929 --> 00:17:20,329 and we took him on tours out to the 366 00:17:26,069 --> 00:17:22,939 launch site they saw the the vehicle on 367 00:17:28,539 --> 00:17:26,079 the pad and you know we we basically 368 00:17:30,580 --> 00:17:28,549 prepared them well then we took them to 369 00:17:34,510 --> 00:17:30,590 the press site and then we prepared them 370 00:17:38,529 --> 00:17:34,520 for the launch and a lot of people had 371 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:38,539 not experienced a Saturn one or anything 372 00:17:46,210 --> 00:17:42,770 that size so the new press people were 373 00:17:48,340 --> 00:17:46,220 somewhat overwhelmed particularly that 374 00:17:52,149 --> 00:17:48,350 old saturn v would come off the pad real 375 00:17:54,570 --> 00:17:52,159 slow and I remember the first time I saw 376 00:17:57,039 --> 00:17:54,580 a saturn v launch with the press people 377 00:17:59,820 --> 00:17:57,049 one of the guys says it's coming back 378 00:18:03,039 --> 00:17:59,830 which he thought it was coming back 379 00:18:05,110 --> 00:18:03,049 through this to the press site and not 380 00:18:07,690 --> 00:18:05,120 going out over the ocean so it was kind 381 00:18:09,159 --> 00:18:07,700 of a common joke when we anytime we 382 00:18:11,620 --> 00:18:09,169 would fly one when somebody said yeah 383 00:18:14,830 --> 00:18:11,630 it's coming back again you know but it 384 00:18:17,260 --> 00:18:14,840 was a major vehicle to watch it was so 385 00:18:19,779 --> 00:18:17,270 slow coming off the pad and then you got 386 00:18:22,149 --> 00:18:19,789 to see it for a long distance misspell 387 00:18:24,580 --> 00:18:22,159 when there was none any cloud cover you 388 00:18:27,279 --> 00:18:24,590 got to watch that bird fly for a long 389 00:18:30,370 --> 00:18:27,289 time and then on occasion you would 390 00:18:33,549 --> 00:18:30,380 actually see staging at a certain time 391 00:18:36,190 --> 00:18:33,559 in the flight but yes it you know I know 392 00:18:38,500 --> 00:18:36,200 no one ever grew tired of watching a 393 00:18:41,230 --> 00:18:38,510 saturn v launch it was something about 394 00:18:43,090 --> 00:18:41,240 that vehicle that stayed with you of 395 00:18:45,970 --> 00:18:43,100 course the shuttle was fantastic because 396 00:18:49,210 --> 00:18:45,980 you saw it come off and turn and all but 397 00:18:51,250 --> 00:18:49,220 to shut the space there's a Saturn 5 you 398 00:18:54,130 --> 00:18:51,260 know when you had crew members on board 399 00:18:57,430 --> 00:18:54,140 that thing and we launched nine of those 400 00:19:01,240 --> 00:18:57,440 cruised beyond Earth orbit to the moon 401 00:19:03,340 --> 00:19:01,250 and back and it was successful every one 402 00:19:05,110 --> 00:19:03,350 of those flights was successful and I 403 00:19:06,990 --> 00:19:05,120 think that's that's the thing that 404 00:19:09,860 --> 00:19:07,000 sticks with me 405 00:19:13,740 --> 00:19:09,870 we went through Mercury Gemini Apollo 406 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:13,750 Saturn moon rockets all those flights 407 00:19:18,600 --> 00:19:16,090 and we were very successful in 408 00:19:20,340 --> 00:19:18,610 accomplishing all those flights with 409 00:19:23,550 --> 00:19:20,350 those guys and you know when you send 410 00:19:25,770 --> 00:19:23,560 guys out of Earth orbit beyond Earth 411 00:19:27,390 --> 00:19:25,780 orbit and to the moon and back you know 412 00:19:29,940 --> 00:19:27,400 you really accomplish something and I 413 00:19:33,930 --> 00:19:29,950 don't think we appreciated at the time 414 00:19:36,030 --> 00:19:33,940 how how competent the team was and how 415 00:19:38,340 --> 00:19:36,040 successful we were I'm sure there's a 416 00:19:41,460 --> 00:19:38,350 lot of luck involved too because things 417 00:19:43,050 --> 00:19:41,470 did happen but those vehicles performed 418 00:19:45,420 --> 00:19:43,060 well and we got all those astronauts 419 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:45,430 back safely and I think that's that's 420 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:48,730 the thing about Apollo is I think you 421 00:19:54,780 --> 00:19:52,090 have to look at Apollo's being this is 422 00:19:56,670 --> 00:19:54,790 an example of a country leaving Earth 423 00:19:59,400 --> 00:19:56,680 orbit and doing something that's never 424 00:20:01,230 --> 00:19:59,410 been done before and no other country 425 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:01,240 has ever accomplished what we've done 426 00:20:07,380 --> 00:20:04,810 with the Saturn Apollo program and those 427 00:20:09,300 --> 00:20:07,390 those astronauts they get a lot of 428 00:20:10,650 --> 00:20:09,310 credit they you know they they're good 429 00:20:12,210 --> 00:20:10,660 old fighter pilots and they just 430 00:20:14,550 --> 00:20:12,220 volunteered you know and there's a 431 00:20:16,170 --> 00:20:14,560 Shepards say well you know I'm gonna fly 432 00:20:18,990 --> 00:20:16,180 on this rocket and I'll come back and 433 00:20:21,570 --> 00:20:19,000 fly another one they were they were in 434 00:20:24,210 --> 00:20:21,580 touch with us and they did acknowledge 435 00:20:26,580 --> 00:20:24,220 von Braun and they appreciated the team 436 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:26,590 by the way that put the mercury together 437 00:20:31,380 --> 00:20:29,290 and put the Saturn program together that 438 00:20:33,420 --> 00:20:31,390 they really appreciated the fact that we 439 00:20:35,520 --> 00:20:33,430 had the rocket people here in Huntsville 440 00:20:37,800 --> 00:20:35,530 Alabama and we we had a good marriage 441 00:20:44,350 --> 00:20:37,810 between the Houston people and the 442 00:20:47,830 --> 00:20:45,910 he came to the Space and Rocket Center 443 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:47,840 one day and we were walking through the 444 00:20:52,360 --> 00:20:50,570 rocket park because we just put up one 445 00:20:55,710 --> 00:20:52,370 of the rockets and we were cleaning it 446 00:20:59,620 --> 00:20:55,720 up and there was a whole group of 447 00:21:01,480 --> 00:20:59,630 schoolchildren there and they were 448 00:21:03,610 --> 00:21:01,490 walking through and they had their book 449 00:21:06,310 --> 00:21:03,620 sketches books and so forth they were 450 00:21:09,280 --> 00:21:06,320 taking notes teacher was with him and he 451 00:21:11,110 --> 00:21:09,290 said to me he said what's that group 452 00:21:12,430 --> 00:21:11,120 doing and I said well that's a school 453 00:21:15,250 --> 00:21:12,440 group that's we call it two yellow 454 00:21:17,620 --> 00:21:15,260 school bus tour they're here and they'll 455 00:21:20,230 --> 00:21:17,630 probably spend most of the day and then 456 00:21:23,140 --> 00:21:20,240 they'll be leaving and going back to 457 00:21:25,240 --> 00:21:23,150 back back home he says do you think they 458 00:21:28,690 --> 00:21:25,250 get anything out of this this visit I 459 00:21:30,850 --> 00:21:28,700 said yes sir I do I believe they get 460 00:21:34,140 --> 00:21:30,860 excited about rocketry they learn about 461 00:21:36,580 --> 00:21:34,150 rocketry but I think they'd also liked 462 00:21:39,250 --> 00:21:36,590 climbing that spacecraft over there and 463 00:21:41,620 --> 00:21:39,260 slip on a spacesuit and maybe snack on 464 00:21:42,850 --> 00:21:41,630 space food while they're here he looked 465 00:21:44,530 --> 00:21:42,860 at me and he look at those those 466 00:21:47,890 --> 00:21:44,540 youngsters you know we have all kinds of 467 00:21:50,080 --> 00:21:47,900 camps in this country we need a science 468 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:50,090 camp and that was the beginning of what 469 00:21:54,040 --> 00:21:53,570 today is Space Camp and one of them 470 00:21:56,560 --> 00:21:54,050 Brown 471 00:22:00,820 --> 00:21:56,570 is the guy who brought Space Camp to 472 00:22:04,090 --> 00:22:00,830 Huntsville Alabama 700,000 children have 473 00:22:10,460 --> 00:22:04,100 experienced Space Camp and that was a 474 00:22:16,399 --> 00:22:13,249 if we had not lost the president United 475 00:22:19,639 --> 00:22:16,409 States of that time Kennedy I think this 476 00:22:22,580 --> 00:22:19,649 team would have gone on to Mars because 477 00:22:26,210 --> 00:22:22,590 that was von Browns real long-range 478 00:22:26,840 --> 00:22:26,220 dream is land astronauts on the surface 479 00:22:29,450 --> 00:22:26,850 of Mars 480 00:22:31,610 --> 00:22:29,460 he had the nuclear engine for the third 481 00:22:34,100 --> 00:22:31,620 stage of the Saturn 5 already developed 482 00:22:36,619 --> 00:22:34,110 I did not get to see that but many of my 483 00:22:38,749 --> 00:22:36,629 friends did see that nuclear rocket 484 00:22:40,789 --> 00:22:38,759 engine tested and that thing was going 485 00:22:44,060 --> 00:22:40,799 to be ready to go by the end of the of 486 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:44,070 this sixties and early seventies so the 487 00:22:49,759 --> 00:22:47,970 team was in in place and the the spirit