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Author
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Topic: Russell Larson gave 'go' on Apollo 11 alarms
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 08-05-2009 07:02 PM
   
Boston Globe: Russell A. Larson; engineer had role in Apollo 11 project Two Apollo 11 astronauts were about to become the first people to land on the moon when a red light flashed in Houston's mission control center, warning that something was amiss in their onboard guidance computer.Engineers and scientists present at that moment 40 years ago this week quickly assessed the danger as they decided whether to scrap the landing. One man said go, and Russell A. Larson of MIT's Instrumentation Laboratory memorably flashed a thumbs-up, saying afterward that he was too nervous to voice his approval. Minutes later, the astronauts landed and stepped from the landing module into history. "Russ was one of the people who made the decision that the alarm was not that important and we could continue," said Norman Sears, a group leader on the first Apollo lunar landing who was at mission control as the scene unfolded. A "vintage-type engineer" who Sears recalled as someone who "loved a challenge of any kind," Mr. Larson had from childhood shown an aptitude for achieving things that seemed mechanically unachievable. He died Tuesday, [July 21], the day after the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 touchdown on the moon, at Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers. Mr. Larson was 77 and had lived for many years in Boxford. |
Delta7
Member Posts: 1505
From: Bluffton IN USA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 08-05-2009 07:58 PM
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GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 2476
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 08-06-2009 04:32 AM
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Henk Boshuijer
Member Posts: 450
From: Netherlands
Registered: May 2007
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posted 08-06-2009 05:50 AM
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ejectr
Member Posts: 1751
From: Killingly, CT
Registered: Mar 2002
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posted 08-06-2009 06:21 AM
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historyinminiature
New Member Posts:
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posted 08-06-2009 06:23 AM
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kr4mula
Member Posts: 642
From: Cinci, OH
Registered: Mar 2006
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posted 08-06-2009 12:55 PM
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AstroAutos
Member Posts: 803
From: Co. Monaghan, Republic of Ireland
Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 08-06-2009 03:31 PM
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tegwilym
Member Posts: 2331
From: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 08-06-2009 04:44 PM
Larson - flashed a thumbs-up
Duke - "1201 alarm. We're Go. Same type. We're Go.". |
randy
Member Posts: 2176
From: West Jordan, Utah USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 08-07-2009 10:10 AM
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dss65
Member Posts: 1156
From: Sandpoint, ID, USA
Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 08-09-2009 03:15 PM
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bruce
Member Posts: 916
From: Fort Mill, SC, USA
Registered: Aug 2000
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posted 08-09-2009 08:26 PM
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moorouge
Member Posts: 2454
From: U.K.
Registered: Jul 2009
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posted 08-13-2009 01:37 PM
My understanding is that the man who gave the 'go' for the Apollo 11 landing was Jack Garman. It was he who passed the all-clear on the 1202 alarms to Steve Bales. Jack had a list of possible alarms written out on a crib sheet and placed under a sheet of perspex on his desk.A photo of this crib sheet may be found on p110 the Haynes Apollo 11 workshop manual (ISBN 978 1 84425 683 9). |
spaceman1953
Member Posts: 953
From: South Bend, IN
Registered: Apr 2002
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posted 08-13-2009 03:57 PM
Steve Bales got the credit on (I think) NBC during the Apollo 11 40th anniversary week.The network gave him a good, long (for these days) interview and even told about what he was doing nowadays. But he surely knew there was a whole "back room" full of people all around the world who knew what to do in every instance. . Gene Bella |
Sy Liebergot
Member Posts: 501
From: Pearland, Texas USA
Registered: May 2003
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posted 08-13-2009 06:45 PM
Yes, it was Jack Garman's call.
Sy |
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