Kennedy Space Center Legend on the Space Shuttle program.

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I started my career with PRC (Planning and Research
Corporation) in 1976. I am a graduate of the Savannah
State Univ. My first job on the Shuttle program was to
modify the Crew Hatch Access platform in OPF 1. I
was then assigned to OPF 1, room 119 where Howard
Wilkinson and I prepared EO’s and sketches to hand
carry to the contractors next door, real time, before the
wood Shuttle mock-up) OTV-098, arrived. Presently, I
work as a (PE) Professional Structural Engineer with
United Space Alliance. I am currently performing an
analysis of the largest doors in the world, the VAB
doors. The persons that influenced me in my career
were L.H.K. Sharan, Sudhakar Bhide, Bill Warren, Jim
Porterfield, Everett Comer, Karl Meyer, and Joe
Early photo Brown. These individuals were the original “Legends
and Gurus” of structural steel analysis, steel detailing,
drafting, computer modeling and estimating. One of my
most memorable experiences while working on the
Space program; is the day that STS-51L exploded. I
was on temporary assignment to Vandenberg (VAFB),
California. I found out about the accident on a radio
broadcast while driving to work. At the office, about
60 - 70 of us crowded around a little 10” TV. We
watched the video of the accident over and over,
looking for clues to see if we could rationalize this
catastrophe. Another memorable experience was after
51L, when the Air force decided to moth ball VAFB,
and transfer equipment to KSC, including the OMCF
(Orbiter Maintenance and Change out Facility) to
Current photo create OPF 3. I was the technical representative for
KSC. Our goal was to make OPF 3 as nice as OPF 1
and 2. Later, after USA finished all of the foundation modifications, upgrades to the
access platforms, and painting of the floors, we were told to try and make OPF 1 and
2 as nice as OPF 3! I have had the most fun at KSC, working with the many different
nationalities of my fellow engineers. In the 80’s I was in a group with individuals
from 8 different countries. Each one brought a very diverse mixture of pride,
stubbornness, prejudice and curiosity that created some interesting view points and
ideas to problem solving, family, religion and life in general. It was also fun observing
the engineering challenges that we had to overcome for the Shuttle, in particular at
the Pads and OPF’s. How does one provide access to every square inch of a space
vehicle in a processing facility, without making contact? Solution: ask a GSDE
Structural engineer to design platforms. Not a problem.
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RDM: Lisa Chapman Curator: Mike Harris
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