Highways Into Space: A first-hand account of the beginnings of the human space program by Glynn S. Lunney Page B
Authors: Glynn S. Lunney
Tags: General Non-Fiction
Ads: Link
learn the “Retro” controller trade from Carl Huss, the original Retro. Tec had his way at being persuasive about things like that, and coupled with some straight talk right at John, John saw the wisdom of Tec’s idea. It is easy to see why John loved the capcom line of work. He was a leader of a small, dedicated team, deployed to exotic locations all around the world, and well situated for more hell raising. But the role was being retired as the plans for a Houston-based Mission Control Center made the remote site teams obsolete. Finally he was shanghaied into Retro training for MA-6, John Glenn’s flight in February 1962. John loved to brief the astronauts on the clock and its arcane workings as it counted down to retrofire. I think the astronauts admired his expertise and enthusiasm and they were probably aware of his military service record from Korea.
I tried hard to get John to document his briefing in a written report. This would be a one-time event that he could then use many times for his subsequent briefings. Clearly this would be more efficient, but John loved the interactions that came with his free form briefing and that’s the way it stayed. This was also the beginning of a long-term attempt to inculcate “clear writing” into John’s repertoire – another waste of time. John still grouses about times that Tec or I shipped him to clear writing class, always with negligible success.
There was one more thing John never liked. As we moved into Gemini, the console positions were Flight Dynamics Officer, now also a Guidance Officer and still a Retro Controller. With the sensitivity of a Lance Corporal, John always wanted the title to be changed to Retro Officer. His very passion on the subject caused us to procrastinate and deploy flaky reasons not to do it.
In Houston at the MSC, one of the notable stories concerning John had to do with his penchant for collecting parking tickets on site. After a reasonable number with no correction in sight, Security talked to me as his direct boss (and probably John Hodge, our division chief). We temporarily pulled John’s pass and sticker for driving onto the Center. I expected that John would park across the street and walk into the Center or get a ride from somebody else. That would be what most people would do. Not John. Ever resourceful, John trailered his horse to a shopping center across the street and rode into the Center for work. The Center did not have stickers for horses, as the procedures did not anticipate this condition. And the mess from the all-day tie-up of the horse led to more discussions and promises not to do that anymore. So, the saga of riding the horse to work was gradually absorbed into the always expanding legend of John Star. John and his horse did make one more appearance that I know of in the Singing Wheel, one of our favorite watering stations in Webster. I’m sure it was a special occasion that prompted John to ride the horse up the steps and into the establishment. At least I did not have to visit with MSC security for that one.
One of John’s duties as a Retro was to conduct the countdown to retrofire over the net, 10-9-8-etc. In several simulations, John did so but scrambled the numbers: 10, 9, 7, 6, 8, 4, 5, 3, 2, 1, mark. He always got to “mark” at the correct time but he had to endure endless guffawing on his countdowns. As his boss (and friend), I did not want to see him embarrassed in front of his MCC peers. So, at night back in the motel, I made John practice the countdowns out loud. He was really ticked off about having to do that. In an angry, red-faced mood, he told me, “Lunney, you SOB, you can’t make me do that.” But, I did and John got the counts correct from then on. I felt like I was pushing things a little close to John’s edge on that and was glad when the problem receded.
John was one of a kind; nobody could make another mold like the one John came out of.
Mercury Redstone
All of this focus on
I tried hard to get John to document his briefing in a written report. This would be a one-time event that he could then use many times for his subsequent briefings. Clearly this would be more efficient, but John loved the interactions that came with his free form briefing and that’s the way it stayed. This was also the beginning of a long-term attempt to inculcate “clear writing” into John’s repertoire – another waste of time. John still grouses about times that Tec or I shipped him to clear writing class, always with negligible success.
There was one more thing John never liked. As we moved into Gemini, the console positions were Flight Dynamics Officer, now also a Guidance Officer and still a Retro Controller. With the sensitivity of a Lance Corporal, John always wanted the title to be changed to Retro Officer. His very passion on the subject caused us to procrastinate and deploy flaky reasons not to do it.
In Houston at the MSC, one of the notable stories concerning John had to do with his penchant for collecting parking tickets on site. After a reasonable number with no correction in sight, Security talked to me as his direct boss (and probably John Hodge, our division chief). We temporarily pulled John’s pass and sticker for driving onto the Center. I expected that John would park across the street and walk into the Center or get a ride from somebody else. That would be what most people would do. Not John. Ever resourceful, John trailered his horse to a shopping center across the street and rode into the Center for work. The Center did not have stickers for horses, as the procedures did not anticipate this condition. And the mess from the all-day tie-up of the horse led to more discussions and promises not to do that anymore. So, the saga of riding the horse to work was gradually absorbed into the always expanding legend of John Star. John and his horse did make one more appearance that I know of in the Singing Wheel, one of our favorite watering stations in Webster. I’m sure it was a special occasion that prompted John to ride the horse up the steps and into the establishment. At least I did not have to visit with MSC security for that one.
One of John’s duties as a Retro was to conduct the countdown to retrofire over the net, 10-9-8-etc. In several simulations, John did so but scrambled the numbers: 10, 9, 7, 6, 8, 4, 5, 3, 2, 1, mark. He always got to “mark” at the correct time but he had to endure endless guffawing on his countdowns. As his boss (and friend), I did not want to see him embarrassed in front of his MCC peers. So, at night back in the motel, I made John practice the countdowns out loud. He was really ticked off about having to do that. In an angry, red-faced mood, he told me, “Lunney, you SOB, you can’t make me do that.” But, I did and John got the counts correct from then on. I felt like I was pushing things a little close to John’s edge on that and was glad when the problem receded.
John was one of a kind; nobody could make another mold like the one John came out of.
Mercury Redstone
All of this focus on
Similar Books
