posted 01-24-2026 10:13 PM
Mel Brooks (Melvin F. Brooks) came to NASA by way of Lockheed, where he helped develop the Agena. Hired by Gene Kranz in May 1962, Brooks worked in mission control supporting the Agena's use in the Gemini program and then transferred to experiment systems and payload ops during Apollo. Later, he became a NASA liaison to ESA (and its predecessor, ESRO), bringing about the Spacelab program on the space shuttle.
Brooks died on Nov. 23, 2000.
The Apollo flight controllers have for decades held annual reunions around the anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. I do not know for certain, but as this mug (stein) was created for the 20th anniversary, it stands a good chance of being the souvenir from that year's reunion.
The program for the 1989 reunion lists Brooks as having been in attendance.
posted 01-24-2026 11:51 AM
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