Author Topic: Mission Control Pioneer Chris Kraft Passes Away July 22, 2019 (Read 5863 times)

catdlr · « **on:** 07/22/2019 11:56 pm »

July 22, 2019
RELEASE 19-061
NASA Administrator Remembers Mission Control Pioneer Chris Kraft

The following is a statement from NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine on the passing of Chris Kraft, who died Monday in Houston at the age of 95:

“America has truly lost a national treasure today with the passing of one of NASA’s earliest pioneers – flight director Chris Kraft. We send our deepest condolences to the Kraft family.

“Chris was one of the core team members that helped our nation put humans in space and on the Moon, and his legacy is immeasurable. Chris’ engineering talents were put to work for our nation at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, before NASA even existed, but it was his legendary work to establish mission control as we know it for the earliest crewed space flights that perhaps most strongly advanced our journey of discovery. From that home base, America’s achievements in space were heard across the globe, and our astronauts in space were anchored to home even as they accomplished unprecedented feats.

“Once comparing his complex work as a flight director to a conductor’s, Kraft said, ‘The conductor can't play all the instruments--he may not even be able to play any one of them. But, he knows when the first violin should be playing, and he knows when the trumpets should be loud or soft, and when the drummer should be drumming. He mixes all this up and out comes music. That's what we do here.’

“Chris was flight director at some of the most iconic moments of space history, as humans first orbited the Earth and stepped outside of an orbiting spacecraft. For his work, he was awarded the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal by President John F. Kennedy. Chris later led the Johnson Space Center, known then as the Manned Spacecraft Center, as our human exploration work reached for new heights following the Apollo Program. We stand on his shoulders as we reach deeper into the solar system, and he will always be with us on those journeys.”

For more information about Chris Kraft, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/chris-kraft

-end-

Christopher C. Kraft, Jr. created the concept of NASA's Mission Control and developed its organization, operational procedures and culture, then made it a critical element of the success of the nation's human spaceflight programs.
Credits: NASA

Rocket Science · « **Reply #1 on:** 07/23/2019 12:19 am »

Thank you for your service sir and may you rest in peace...

Orbiter · « **Reply #2 on:** 07/23/2019 12:25 am »

Passed away during the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11. Cannot think of a more fitting date. RIP, Chris Kraft!

catdlr · « **Reply #3 on:** 07/23/2019 12:45 am »

NASA Names Mission Control for Legendary Flight Director Christopher Kraft

NASA Video
Published on May 20, 2013

NASA recognized Christopher C. Kraft Jr., America's first human space mission flight director, by naming the Mission Control Center in his honor for his service to the nation and its space programs.

Eric Hedman · « **Reply #4 on:** 07/23/2019 12:54 am »

He was one of the legends of our space exploration history. He had a long life and I hope it was a good one for him. Our nation hopefully is grateful for the contributions of people like Chris Kraft. I know I am. Thank you and rest in peace.

wholmeswa · « **Reply #5 on:** 07/23/2019 01:15 am »

Thank-you for your service.

HDTVGuy · « **Reply #6 on:** 07/23/2019 02:22 am »

Nicely written obit in the New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/22/science/christopher-kraft-dead-nasa.html?action=click&module=Well&pgtype=Homepage&section=Obituaries

Mr. Kraft, our country owes you a debt for your service.

catdlr · « **Reply #7 on:** 07/23/2019 03:05 am »

NASA Remembers Legendary Flight Director Chris Kraft

NASA
Published on Jul 22, 2019

Christopher C. Kraft, Jr., who died July 22, 2019, created the concept of NASA's Mission Control and developed its organization, operational procedures and culture, then made it a critical element of the success of the nation's human spaceflight programs.

“America has truly lost a national treasure today with the passing of one of NASA’s earliest pioneers – flight director Chris Kraft," NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement. "We send our deepest condolences to the Kraft family."

catdlr · « **Reply #8 on:** 07/23/2019 03:45 am »

Chris Kraft, One Of The Architects Of The U.S. Space Program, Dies At 95

NPR (NationalPublic Radio)
July 22, 20197:45 PM ET
Heard on All Things Considered
RUSSELL LEWIS

News Article

Radio Transcript

Notable quote:

Quote

Recalling the 1986 Challenger explosion, he seemed to still think of himself as part of the team, saying, "We weren't willing on the shuttle to fix the O-rings in the boosters. We weren't willing to take the damn system by the hand and fix it before we said we were going to fly. ... We had a creed in Mercury that we came up with and that said we will never fly with a known problem that will kill us. Never. ... We did on the shuttle. ... That was unforgivable."

Photo Credits:
NASA Mission Control founder Chris Kraft in the old mission control at Johnson Space Center in Houston. This original mission control of the Apollo era is a national historic landmark.
David J. Phillip/AP

Chris Kraft (center) discussing the scrubbing of the planned Gemini 6 spaceflight in 1965.
NASA

Kraft, then the Johnson Space Center director, shows NASA's mission control to President Ronald Reagan in 1981.
NASA

Kraft is seen at his flight director console in the Mission Control Center.
NASA

FutureSpaceTourist · « **Reply #9 on:** 07/23/2019 06:10 am »

https://twitter.com/nasafltdirector/status/1153481361543639042

Quote

Red Flight, thank you for being the giant on whose shoulders we stand. Your legacy will live on through the tough and competent leadership you continue to inspire inside Mission Control. Thank you for firmly setting the foundation. Rest In Peace, Mr. Kraft.

https://twitter.com/shuttlecdrkelly/status/1153506700474765313

Quote

He was a giant of our space program and critical to our success in space as any individual that I can think of. We couldn't have done it without him. He’ll be missed by generations of astronauts, flight directors, flight controllers and engineers. Godspeed Chris Kraft.

https://twitter.com/arstechnica/status/1153432759706116096

Quote

Sad news for all #Apollo11, NASA fans—Chris Kraft, one of the space program's legendary architects (+ a gracious source to space journalism), has passed away arstechnica.com/science/2019/0…

(This video interview is from about two years ago as Kraft walked us through Apollo memories.)

libra · « **Reply #10 on:** 07/23/2019 06:19 am »

Quote from: Orbiter on 07/23/2019 12:25 am

Passed away during the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11. Cannot think of a more fitting date. RIP, Chris Kraft!

Unbelievable coincidence, really.

A little tribute to a great man...

Apollo-phill · « **Reply #11 on:** 07/23/2019 06:31 am »

Engineer par excellence throughout his NACA/NASA careers !

Sad to read of his death.

Condolences to his family and friends

Phill Parker
UK

cebri · « **Reply #12 on:** 07/23/2019 08:58 am »

A true giant.

It is sad to see so many go away, that achieved so much, starting from scratch. These people invented spaceflight as we know it.

Rest in Peace, flight.

seawolfe · « **Reply #13 on:** 07/23/2019 09:25 am »

Rest in Peace, Steely Eyed Missile Man!

apollolanding · « **Reply #14 on:** 07/23/2019 12:37 pm »

Godspeed and thank you.

Stardust9906 · « **Reply #15 on:** 07/23/2019 01:04 pm »

We may not have had a 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 to celebrate without Kraft. RIP

DecoLV · « **Reply #16 on:** 07/24/2019 01:59 am »

Please excuse the OT, but the photo on top seems to incredibly show on the console.....a baseball game? Really?

woods170 · « **Reply #17 on:** 07/24/2019 07:29 am »

Quote from: DecoLV on 07/24/2019 01:59 am

Please excuse the OT, but the photo on top seems to incredibly show on the console.....a baseball game? Really?

Yes. Public coverage of Apollo 11 included a segment where a baseball game was interrupted to report to the audience that Neil and Buzz had successfully landed on the Moon.
Flight controllers could switch, on their console TV monitors, to public coverage channels such as CBS, ABC, etc.

Eric Hedman · « **Reply #18 on:** 07/27/2019 06:24 am »

At the EAA AirVenture earlier tonight. During a presentation by Mike Collins and Joe Engle moderated by Charlie Precourt, they showed a picture of Chris Kraft from earlier this year signing documents on work he was doing for NGIS. He was still active a few months ago. I want to still be working or capable of working if and when I get to be 95.

WallE · « **Reply #19 on:** 07/29/2019 04:57 pm »

Quote from: FutureSpaceTourist on 07/23/2019 06:10 am

(This video interview is from about two years ago as Kraft walked us through Apollo memories.)

He seemed to still be pretty darn sharp and with it mentally, but you could tell from that interview that his ears had seen better days. The interviewer really had to shout for Chris to be able to hear his questions. Oh well, we're talking a 93 year old guy here.