by John S.
I joined Martin Marietta’s Titan II team
in 1960. I worked on six significant programs—Titan II, Dyna-Soar and Gemini ground
support engineering design, Sprint and Pershing support system development and
Skylab crew systems engineering, before retiring in 1974.
I most enjoyed the Skylab program. As a
member of the crew systems group, I participated in crew station reviews with
NASA and flight personnel. I was responsible for coordination and
implementation for the MDA Neutral Buoyancy program. I logged around 245 hours
in the NASA Huntsville Neutral Buoyancy Simulator maintaining the MDA mock-up and
observing and reporting on astronaut tests and rehearsals.
The highpoint occurred as my wife and I
observed the first Skylab launch. Superlatives fail to portray the experience
of seeing the flames and steam, then sensing the rumble and roar as the sound
reverberated off the Vehicle Assembly Building.
Euphoria was shattered when we learned one
of the solar panels had failed to deploy. Later that day, our celebratory
dinner turned into a wake with speculation on causes and remedies. The program
was saved when the first crew implemented fixes during an EVA perfected in the
Neutral Buoyancy Facility with assistance from Martin personnel.
During my time at Martin Marietta, I was
always amazed by the excellence, which pervaded my work environment. My
co-workers approached technical problems with imagination, creativity and
willingness to accept unconventional solutions. I shall always be proud to have
been a Lockheed Martin employee.
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| I most enjoyed the Skylab program. |
