The Moon Made The Impossible: Possible
The Moon Made The Impossible: Possible
Monday, August 27, 2012
The death of Neil Armstrong this past weekend hits close to home. You see, my grandfather (Boeing engineer) was part of the team that developed and tested the Lunar Rover. For the unaware, the rover was a marvel of engineering that allowed the astronauts on later Apollo moon missions to travel further away from their spacecraft than mere “hops” in their spacesuits would allow. Many important scientific findings came about as a result of this vehicle. A few years ago, I was able see a version of this vehicle that was tested on earth at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. (Pictured; whew - I really have lost weight since then). A few steps away directly above our heads is a full Saturn V rocket that propelled astronauts to the moon.
H.E. Holmes was a quiet, dry-humored, talented engineer who would grow to be part of a team that meddled with the latest technology of his day. In his career at Boeing, he was part of the Lunar Rover program and several others - including experiments in supersonic flight for commercial passengers. His last efforts were on the 747 as the team that got one of the best “kaboom!” engineering job of all: stressing the plane to the point of snapping off the wings. Yet in all my years around him up until his death, I knew little about his work and the impact it had on our modern life. Commercial flight we largely take for granted came through great risk, a focus on innovation, and steady engineers like my grandfather.
Neil Armstrong for a brief moment in 1969 became the most famous person in the world when he stepped onto the lunar surface. Moments before, he had successfully piloted the lunar module to a safe landing spot on the Sea of Tranquility with 10 seconds of fuel left. Few realize that they were actually a bit off course and in an area with large boulders. Left to the programmed course, they would have been smashed to bits. His calm nerves saved Neil, Buzz, and our country from what would have been an incredible tragedy. It really was “one giant leap for mankind”.
In the years after the moon trip, Neil largely avoided the spotlight - returning to his engineering roots and quiet manner. That we know little about his years after that time is a testament to both him and the generation of quiet engineers like him that performed the greatest technological feat of the 20th century. Rather than self-promoting, which is the norm of today for anyone that accomplishes something great, these folks were self-effacing. They preferred to credit others with their success as part of an overall team.
Thanks Neil. Thanks Grandpa. You demonstrated that the seemingly impossible - is indeed possible. We are much better for it.