NASA -- Chris Kraft was the first one to be appointed as the Flight Director in NASA. His recent passing has brought about great memories to those whose lives he has touched. He was 95 and lived a full life. Kraft has passed on away on Monday, July 22, 2019, in Houston, Texas. It was only two days after the world celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Apollo mission to the moon. Kraft was one of the brilliant minds that helped realize. Jim Bridenstine , NASA Administrator, refers to Kraft as one of the core team members that made the first man on the moon possible.
In 1961, an astronaut by the name of Alan Shepard, Jr. was the first American Astronaut to reach the space aboard the spacecraft Freedom 7 Mercury capsule. Kraft was the man behind the direction of that flight. He went on directing other flights as such. The flights he directed included the most recent ones concerning the Mercury Mission and some of the flights by the Gemini ones.
Everyone remembers Ed White as he was the first astronaut who has able to do a space walk happen in 1965, just a few months after Alexei Leonov, a Russian Cosmonaut was able to complete the same feat. White and James McDivitt, a fellow astronaut, were able to orbit the Earth by at least 66 times in a span of four days. It was Kraft's crowning achievement in building NASA's mission control from the ground all the way up. It seemed as if he was made to make it happen.
"I liked my job better than the astronauts job," Kraft told the representative from the Houston Chronicle. " I was able to take on any flight and the best part is that they simply follow what I tell them to do. "
According to the press release from NASA, Kraft created the concept, developed the organization alongside its operational procedures, as well as establishing the Mission Control of the agency. All these were critical elements in establishing what NASA as an agency is for. Because all of these are in place, it has helped ensure that the manned space flights program become successful too.
Kraft was also known for his go-no-go decisions as well as his space-to-ground communication as well as mission tracking. He was also known for his participation in mission tracking to be able to address real time problems including the recovery of the crew.
Kraft also has a huge impact with the operations of the Navy when he found a potential flaw in the F8U Crusader Jets during his time with them. He worked briefly with the Navy as a Project Engineer.
Kraft has indeed lived a good, well-meaning life not only as a NASA director. More importantly, people will remember him for all the goodness he has shown.
