In his word: Thousand Oaks engineer remembers moon launch

Editor's note: Fred Cordia wrote about his experiences with Apollo 11 in 1999 for The Star as part of the launch's 30-year anniversary. Here is an excerpt:

By the time daylight arrived the crew was buttoned up in the capsule and the pad had been cleared. We were within minutes of liftoff and I can remember row after row of launch-control engineers working with the stage-test conductors and the launch director performing almost as a large symphony orchestra. Everyone was always on cue and the entire proceeding went exactly as scripted.

It is difficult to describe the feelings at that moment: excitement hope but most of all stay cool and be professional.

At exactly 9:32 a.m. Apollo 11 lifted off from Kennedy Space Center and we all stood up to get a glimpse (through the LCC glass windows) of the vehicle rising to the heavens on its tower of flame.

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Once the vehicle lifted off the ghostly silent LCC came alive with elation and the cheers and yells that signaled the release of a very stressed-out bunch of launch-control engineers! Our job was complete. However the vehicle still had to achieve low Earth orbit followed by trans-lunar injection lunar orbit lunar landing and of course the return trip.

Once the vehicle was out of sight we were advised to stay at our consoles as President Nixon who had been watching from the VIP viewing stands outside the LCC was to address the launch crew.

He then came by and shook hands with those of us on front-row consoles. I was so taken to have met the president my eyes followed him as he went to the next console and when I finally looked back there in front of me was Mrs. Nixon patiently offering to shake hands too.

I really felt bad. She smiled we shook hands and she moved on.

Our job now complete many of the Launch Control engineers were quick to secure their consoles and attempt to have their launch procedure document autographed by some of the more notable dignitaries. On my way back from the LCC to my office which was on the 16th floor of the VAB I shared the elevator with Walter Cronkite who was being escorted on a tour of the VAB.

We subsequently went home or to "launch parties" to watch with the rest of the world the first manned journey to the moon and we soon found most of the roads to the local communities jammed with traffic caused by the hundreds of thousands of folks who witnessed the launch.

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