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“The fire-in-the-hole abort was the most critical test of the mission and one we had to accomplish successfully prior to a manned mission.” Gene Kranz – Flight Director Apollo 5
Apollo 5 Mission Patch
Lunar Module 1 delivered to the Cape
LM 1 mated to the spacecraft lunar module adapter
LM 1 inside adapter being hoisted to the booster
Apollo 5 on the launch pad
Apollo 5 lift off
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“…our building’s shaking here. Our building’s shaking! Oh it’s terrific, the building’s shaking! This big blast window is shaking! We’re holding it with our hands! Look at that rocket go into the clouds at 3000 feet!…you can see it…you can see it…oh the roar is terrific!…” Walter Cronkite – Apollo 4 launch.
Apollo 4 mating of SC -017 with Saturn 501
Apollo 4 on Launch Pad
Apollo 4 the night before the launch
Apollo 4 lift off from LC-39A.
Apollo 4 leaves the launch pad
View of crescent Earth from Apollo 4.
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As Procedures Officer, Kranz was put in charge of integrating Mercury Control with the Launch Control Team at Cape Canaveral, Florida, writing the “Go/NoGo” procedures that allowed missions to continue as planned or be aborted, along with serving as a sort of switchboard operator using teletype between the control center at Cape Canaveral and the agency’s fourteen tracking stations and two tracking ships located across the globe.
Kranz & his F86 Saber Cat
Kranz at his console in 1965
Kranz and his teacher Chris Kraft
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At the beginning of the Apollo program, Kraft retired as a flight director to concentrate on management and mission planning. In 1972, he became director of the Manned Spacecraft Center, following the path of his mentor Robert Gilruth.
Kraft in Mission Control for Gemini 5
Ad. Abhau, Robert Thompson, and Kraft
Kraft with his new flight Directors
