Fred Haise and Gene Kranz of NASA’s Apollo 13 Mission
Discuss the Importance of Teamwork to Sold-Out Crowd
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stronaut Fred Haise and legendary NASA Flight Control people who inspire them to chase greatness.” Director Gene Kranz engaged a sold-out crowd of Teachers like Brenda Aldridge witness the benefits of the space enthusiasts on April 5 during the Texas A&M University’s Distinguished Speaker Series for the community. University-Corpus Christi Spring 2016 Distinguished Speaker “This is surely an experience my students won’t forget,” Series. During their said Aldridge, third presentation, an grade teacher at audience of 1,200 the Early Childhood gathered at the Development Center. Performing Arts Center “Events like this to hear the duo discuss spark an interest the events which led and motivation (for them to join NASA and students) to look into their experiences in science.” the space program and Maya Mollick, beyond. a third grader in As these legends Aldridge’s class, will presented their carry this experience speech, “Apollo 13: with her. A Successful Failure,” “I’m really excited they brought to life a because I’ve never met lesson of success from an astronaut before,” failure about the 1970 she said. “This is almost ill-fated lunar mission. too good to be true!” One of the key lessons Haise began his of their speech was the NASA career as an importance of building aeronautical research NASA Flight Control Director Gene Kranz (Left) and Astronaut Fred Haise (Right) teamwork and how this pilot at Lewis Research Speak to the sold-out crowd quality was critical when Center in 1959. He served facing impossible odds. Haise and Kranz pointed out that one as backup crew for the Apollo 8, 11 and 16 missions and flew as cannot stand alone – especially in dire situations where lives are the lunar module pilot on the aborted Apollo 13 mission. Haise at stake. Surprisingly, Haise and Kranz, have remained humble also flew five flights as the Commander of the Space Shuttle about their Apollo 13 experiences and have never considered Enterprise in 1977. themselves heroes. They believe we are surrounded by Kranz joined the NASA Space Task Group at Langley, Va., in everyday heroes – from our mothers and teachers who instill 1960 and was assigned as Assistant Flight Director for Project values in us, to flight controllers and directors, who are tasked Mercury. He served as Flight Director for the Apollo Program, with huge responsibilities. and led the “Tiger Team” for the safe return of the Apollo 13 Kranz also discussed how the senior management involved crew back to Earth. Kranz is also the author of the New York with the Apollo 13 mission helped nurture the growth of their Times best-selling book, “Failure Is Not an Option: Mission young people by assigning them essential duties and always Control from Mercury to Apollo 13 and Beyond.” asking, “How can I help you?” Kranz strongly feels that if Kranz and Haise were portrayed by actors Ed Harris and Bill leaders today built the confidence of their young employees, Paxton, respectively, in the 1995 blockbuster film, “Apollo 13.” there would be better results across a variety of job fields. Both men received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1970. Before the evening presentation, Haise and Kranz At the close of both programs, American Theoretical addressed elementary, middle, high school and college Physicist and String Theorist Dr. Brian Greene was announced students during a free Student Forum. as the next Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi Distinguished “I was excited to see Haise and Kranz because I want to Speaker Series speaker on Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2016. work for NASA in the future,” said Kobi West, a TAMU-CC To learn more about our Distinguished Speaker Series go to atmospheric sciences major. “It’s great to expose students to dss.tamucc.edu. Sp2016
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