Apollo management oral history

[sts60]

I just watched the introduction of a filmed group interview from 1989:
NASA Program and Project Management Initiative - Apollo Program Oral History - Lessons Learned and Experiences Shared by NASA Program Mangement

This is a roughly two hour discussion with:
 

• Howard W. Tindall - Deputy Chief, Mission Planning and Analysis Division
• George Mueller - Associate Administrator for Manned Spaceflight
• Owen W. Morris - Manager, Lunar Module Project
• Maxime A. Faget - Director, Engineering & Development, Manned Spacecraft Center
• Robert R. Gilruth - Director, Manned Spacecraft Center
• Christopher C. Kraft - Director, Flight Operations, Manned Spacecraft Center

("Manned Spacecraft Center" = original name for JSC, Johnson Space Center in* Houston)
 
I look forward to watching the whole thing. (I started working for Max a few years after this was filmed.)  It's from a couple of CDs and is in the form of two .MOV files. I can burn copies and mail them to anyone who's interested. (And I haven't forgotten those who asked for the books, I'll get them out.)
 
 
* For sufficiently generous values of the word "in"; those of you who have been there know what I mean.

[Obviousman]

Yes please - will PM you with address.

I was listening to the Talking Space podcast and they mentioned that Chris Kraft wrote a very interesting letter regarding the space programme to one of the papers; quite scathing of the SLS and Mars missions. I'll have to look it up and give it a read.

[ka9q]

Assuming the video is in the public domain (if it was produced by NASA, it is), why not just put it up on the web?

If you don't have a website I can volunteer mine.

[Buel]

Hi all,
Newbie here. I have been trying to find any video at all of Robert Gillruth and have been surprised at the lack of anything decent about him. This surprises me as I am halfway through Kraft's 'Flight' and I am learning just how impressive Gillruth was. Please can someone help me with how I can watch this video? It sounds like Gold dust.
Perhaps I can trade for some of the audio documentaries I have (My particular favourite is the Radio 4 'Walking On The Moon' narrated by Buzz where he recreates the descent to the lunar surafce. Brilliant!)

[Kiwi]

I have been trying to find any video at all of Robert Gillruth and have been surprised at the lack of anything decent about him...

I haven't heard of any such video, but that doesn't mean none exists.  Others here might know of something.

He does appear in nearly all of the official NASA movies of the moonlanding missions, but there are mostly only one- or two-second shots that include him when cigars are being handed around at Mission Control at the end of the missions.  I could tell you where to see him in the same versions of the movies that I have, but there are some very poor-quality, edited versions around on DVD.  Quick-buck-makers have degraded the non-copyrighted material. It would be good if Spacecraft Films did high-quality restorations of the full films, similar to the fantastic quality of the Mercury missions' DVD set where the movies look like they were shot yesterday.

The NASA movies, of about 28 minutes each, are:
Eagle Has Landed: The Flight of Apollo 11         
Apollo 12: Pinpoint for Science         
Apollo 13: 'Houston... We’ve Got a Problem'         
Apollo 14: Mission to Fra Mauro         
Apollo 15: In the Mountains of the Moon         
Apollo 16: Nothing So Hidden         
Apollo 17: On the Shoulders of Giants         

Gilruth's Wikipedia biography doesn't say much, but it does have links to a little external material, including his Oral History interview.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_R._Gilruth

Googling "robert r" gilruth turns up 68,400 results.  Note one "l" in his name, not two.  That might have caused you to get fewer hits.

There's a Mount Gilruth in Antarctica which is named after him. (And one of our members here might already know all about Mount Faget.)

[Buel]

Thank you so much for such a brilliant, helpful reply. Plus, I did realise the single 'l' after posting but couldn't see an option to edit it. Doh!

So is it possible to watch the 'NASA Program and Project Management Initiative - Apollo Program Oral History - Lessons Learned and Experiences Shared by NASA Program Mangement'? It sounds fascinating!!

[Buel]

Hi all,
Sorry to bother you all again but please can i ask (beg) for some more info on the fantastic video that sts60 posted about? I am so keen to see this.

PS- Are most people on here also on the CS forum and the NASA Spaceflight forum?

[astronaut23]

There's a Mount Gilruth in Antarctica which is named after him. (And one of our members here might already know all about Mount Faget.)

OMG...so it is true...thats just proof those moonrocks did come from Antartica...

[Buel]

Please can i ask (beg) for some more info on the fantastic video that sts60 posted about? I am so keen to see this.

[sts60]

Sorry guys and gals, things have been... busy.  I still owe people some books, too.

PM your address, and I'll burn a couple CDs and mail them.  ka9q, if you'd like to host the files, I'll be happy to send you the CDs with my thanks.

[Buel]

Hi,
No problem and thank you so much. I have sent you a pm.
I am excited about this!! 

[sts60]

I sent the CDs to ka9q and will send to Obviousman and Buel - but Buel, your PM'd address didn't say what country you're in; please take pity in my geographical ignorance and let me know.

[Buel]

sts60,

Many apologies for that, I have just PMd you again with all my details. I live in the UK. Thank you once again for this, it is very kind. Perhaps I can return the favour with some BBC and Radio 4 Apollo stuff.

Buel

[RAF]

It would be good if Spacecraft Films did high-quality restorations of the full films, similar to the fantastic quality of the Mercury missions' DVD set where the movies look like they were shot yesterday.

That would be nice....it would also be nice if I were to receive the 4 disc A11 set I ordered back in April of 2011.

Although their products are amazing, actually getting those products once you have ordered them is another thing entirely...

 I feel fortunate to have the sets I do, and do not expect to receive A11 at all.

[raven]

After that long, you might want to try contacting them more directly.