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Topic: Dick Smith, Kennedy director (1929-2019)
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Robert Pearlman Editor Posts: 42988 From: Houston, TX Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 03-20-2019 01:18 PM
NASA release Former Kennedy Space Center Director Richard G. Smith DiesRichard G. Smith, a former director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, died on March 14, 2019, in Decatur, Alabama. He was 89 years old. Smith served as director of Kennedy from Sept. 26, 1979 to Aug. 2, 1986. During his years as director, the buildup of the space shuttle was completed, 25 space shuttle missions were launched and planning efforts began for the International Space Station. At the beginning of his career, Smith became a member of the rocket research and development team at Redstone Arsenal in Alabama in 1951. He transferred to NASA in July 1960 when the Development Operations Division of the Army Ballistic Missile Agency became the nucleus for the establishment of the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. Smith served in various positions at Marshall, including in the former Guidance and Control Laboratory and in the Systems Engineering Office prior to being appointed deputy manager and later manager of the Saturn Program. In 1974, Smith was named deputy director of the Marshall Center. In August 1978, Smith accepted a one-year assignment as deputy associate administrator for Space Transportation Systems at NASA Headquarters in Washington. He served as director of the Skylab Task Force, appointed by the NASA administrator to represent NASA preceding and following the re-entry of Skylab. For his contributions to the Apollo Lunar Landing Program and the Skylab Program, Smith received the NASA Medal for Exceptional Service in 1969 and the NASA Medal for Distinguished Service in 1973. Smith was inducted into the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame in 2011. Smith was born in Durham, North Carolina, 1929. He attended Florence State College and Auburn University in Alabama, where he received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1951. In June 1981, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of science degree by Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida. He also was awarded an honorary doctorate of science degree by his Alma Mater, Auburn University, in December 1983. He is survived by his wife of close to 66 years, Louise Self Smith, two daughters, two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. |
Starfighter1 Member Posts: 95 From: Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 03-20-2019 01:24 PM
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Delta7 Member Posts: 1505 From: Bluffton IN USA Registered: Oct 2007
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Jeff Member Posts: 474 From: Fayetteville, NC, USA Registered: May 2009
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hlbjr Member Posts: 475 From: Delray Beach Florida USA Registered: Mar 2006
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Panther494 Member Posts: 402 From: London UK Registered: Jan 2013
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ManInSpace Member Posts: 114 From: Brooklin, Ontario Canada Registered: Feb 2018
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413 is in Member Posts: 628 From: Alexandria, VA USA Registered: May 2006
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GACspaceguy Member Posts: 2476 From: Guyton, GA Registered: Jan 2006
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1202 Alarm Member Posts: 436 From: Switzerland & France Registered: Nov 2003
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SpaceCadet1983 Member Posts: 227 From: United States Registered: May 2012
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dss65 Member Posts: 1156 From: Sandpoint, ID, USA Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 03-20-2019 07:09 PM
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Fra Mauro Member Posts: 1587 From: Bethpage, N.Y. Registered: Jul 2002
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randy Member Posts: 2176 From: West Jordan, Utah USA Registered: Dec 1999
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Cozmosis22 Member Posts: 968 From: Texas * Earth Registered: Apr 2011
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Gilbert Member Posts: 1328 From: Carrollton, GA USA Registered: Jan 2003
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Kite Member Posts: 831 From: Northampton UK Registered: Nov 2009
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astro-nut Member Posts: 946 From: Washington, IL Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 03-23-2019 02:45 PM
I remember watching the live launch coverage of STS-4/Columbia on television when Dick Smith called the crew and told them "WAR EAGLE! Both Mattingly and Hartsfield were Auburn graduates as well as Dick Smith. |
mode1charlie Member Posts: 1169 From: Honolulu, HI Registered: Sep 2010
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posted 03-23-2019 04:10 PM
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rjb1elec Member Posts: 212 From: Merseyside, England Registered: Oct 2004
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JohnPaul56 Member Posts: 180 From: Montclair, NJ, USA Registered: Apr 2010
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posted 03-29-2019 01:09 PM
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