Letters: Wouldn’t Trade Space Career

As a Wisconsin grad and veteran of the space program, I was excited to read “Shared Space” in your Spring 2012 issue. Although I didn’t open the doors that Karina Eversley did, I worked for thirty-two years at NASA-Houston, and I share the enthusiasm described by those young engineers. When I began there in 1962 … I was one of those stereotypical engineers in horn-rimmed glasses designing spacecraft with slide rules and analog computers. My early years involved spacecraft structural design and mission support.

It is hard to describe the feeling of excitement and accomplishment of providing mission support to the Apollo lunar missions — especially Apollo 11 and Apollo 13. I wouldn’t trade my career at Johnson Space Center for anything.

Bob Schwartz ’61 Estes Park, Colorado

Published in the Summer 2012 issue