posted 04-13-2004 10:08 PM               

HUTCHINSON, KAN. - Former NASA Flight Controller Sy Liebergot, a first-hand witness to some of the most memorable events in history including the Apollo 13 fuel cell explosion, will give a free presentation to the public at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center at 4 p.m. on Sat., April 24, with a book signing to follow.

Liebergot, sitting at the EECOM (electrical, environmental, sequential systems engineer) console at Mission Control, Johnson Space Center, Houston, was responsible for making the call that ended Apollo 13's mission to the moon's surface and started the fight for survival. Liebergot and the team at Mission Control overcame one challenge after another with the damaged spacecraft, but successfully led the three-man crew and spacecraft back to Earth. The dramatic story of survival was captured in the 1995 Academy Award nominated film Apollo 13. In the movie, Libergot was portrayed by Clint Howard.