My Diary - Pioneering Space

This article is a Historical Essay
Written and submitted by
[[Grady Woodard]].

Grady’s Space Chronicles

I joined the U.S. Rocket Team in 1958 when I was 26 years old. I got to grew up and work with our first astronauts, Alan Shepard, Gus Grison and John Glenn. I was awed by all the space developments and I kept a dairy of the years I worked to record the events. It was all about the Space Race!

As part of the early space program, well before launches to the moon and space walks, I played a key role in America's dream to place a man on the moon in 1969. My engineering assignments included Explosives, Rocket Engines, Cape Launch Coordinator and the Skylab Environmental System for the astronauts.

When I was a kid, I built a telescope and the stars were all I thought about and space was my dream. Well, I worked hard for an opportunity and made my dream come true. I got picked to join the first NASA Space Team. You too can set your goal, work hard and make your dream come true.

I want to tell you how America’s early space program started from the first manned Mercury to our Apollo Saturn Rockets to the moon.”

On entering the building at Redstone where I was going to work, two Germans were leaving and one told me to come with them saying, “It is customary to let new hires ignite a rocket.” In the Blockhouse, on the count, I pressed a red button and seen a twelve second firing of a Redstone Rocket. It was a loud rocket blast with a red hot plume of smoke and fire. I couldn’t believe it, not yet had I reported to my job and already doing this!

I came out of the Blockhouse and climbed on top of the dirt mound on top and looked at the still smoking rocket. A heavy smoke was hovering over the grounds around the test stand on the hill side. Filled with excitement, I kept smelling this sweet smell and taking deep breaths and feeling really Great! I couldn’t believe at age 26, I was doing this, my childhood dream of space and rockets.

The two Germans climbed up and ask me what did I think? I said, “Great! Awesome!” I was hyper and taking deep breaths because of the excitement. I asked, “What is that sweet smell? I feel really Great!” One of the Germans, Mr. Kuers said, “Mr. Woodard, that is methyl ethyl alcohol your smelling, once it’s in your blood, you’ll be a rocket man for life! Your getting drunk and we better get you away from here and to your job.”

Well, it got in my blood alright and I was a rocket man for life with a thirty five year career. From that day forward, the Germans liked me and became my friend. They were my heroes and my mentors, they took me in and gave me advise with my project assignments. They were educators my nature, what a career I had, one in a lifetime!

This is a summary from my diary while pioneering space with the Army ABMA and Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), noting the Russians, other U.S. players in the race to the moon and the events are shown. The events with an Asterisk (*) were the work we did in space.

CHRONOLOGY LOG OF EVENTS AND FAILURES

ARMY ABMA AND MARSHALL SPACE FIGHT CENTER EVENTS

10-03-42 V-2 LAUNCHED TEST STAND 7-PEENEMUNDE GERMANY-ALBERT ZEILER

08-20-53 REDSTONE #1 LAUNCHED, 76 SEC. USE FLAME COLOR TO LAUNCH-ZEILER

10-04-57 USSR R-7, 2-STAGE ROCKET LAUNCHED SPUTNIK I 11-03-57 USSR LAUNCHED SPUTNIK II - DOG DIED IN SPACE AFTER 5 DAYS

1-31-58 EXPLORER 1 LAUNCHED - JUPITER-C JUNO FOR RADIATION
3-05-58 EXPLORER 2 LAUNCHED - JUPITER-C JUNO, 4TH STAGE FAILED

05-15-58 USSR LAUNCHED SPUTNIC III

7-26-58 EXPLORER 3 LAUNCHED - JUPITER-C JUNO, IN ORBIT VAN ALLEN BELT
7-29-58 NASA ORGANIZED BY IKE
7-26-58 EXPLORER 4 LAUNCHED - JUPITER-C JUNO, ARGUS RADIATION STUDY
8-15-58 SATURN TO BE DEVELOPED (JUNO 2) BY ARMY-ABMA
8-24-58 EXPLORER 5 LAUNCHED - JUPITER-C JUNO, FAILED UPERSTAGES BUMPED
5-28-59 USAF (ARMY’S JUPITER AM-8) MONKEYS ABLE/BAKER 1ST LIVING 300 MILE UP

8-07-59 USAF EXPLORER 6 LAUNCHED - ABLE, MAGNETOSPHRERE STUDIES

9-12-59 USSR LUNA 2 PROBE 3700 MILES OF MOON
10-13-59 EXPLORER 7 LAUNCHED - JUNO II, STUDY STATIC FIELDS
10-21-59 ABMA TRANSFER STARTS TO MSFC-NASA(NEW BADGES)

10-28-59 SERGEANT X248-ECHO 1, METALLIZED BALLOON BOUNCED SIGNALS

3-28-60 NASA SATURN SA-T TEST 2-ENGINE 8 SEC TEST
4-06-60 NASA SATURN SA-T TEST 4-ENGINE 7 SEC TEST
5-26-60 NASA SATURN SA-T TEST 8-ENGINE 35 SEC TEST
6-15-60 NASA SATURN SA-T TEST 8-ENGINE 122 SEC TEST

07-60/12-60 USSR - 3 FAILURES KILLS 6 DOGS ??-??-?? USSR WOMEN COSMONAUTS KILLED IN TRAINING-IRINA/TANYA/LUDMILLA 10-24-60 USSR MOON R-16 ROCKET-UNMANDED, EXPLODED ON PAD KILLING 165 AFTER IGNITION FAILURE. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, NEDELIN IGNORED DEFUELING SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND SENT SCIENTISTS AND TECHNICIANS TO INSPECT THE FAILURE. NEDELIN WAS KILLED TOO! KHRUSHCHEV ORDERED MARSHALL NEDELIN TO LAUNCH WHILE HE WAS AT U.N. KRUSHCHEV WAS IRATE THAT HE MISSED AN IMPORTANT POLITICAL EVENT.

11-3-60 EXPLORER 8 JUNO II STATIC FIELDS
9-08-60 IKE VISITS MSFC & OPENED MSFC
1-31-61 HAM MR-2 ARCHED FLIGHT

02-02-61 UNKN RUSSIAN COSMONANT PASSED OUT IN FLIGHT-HEART FAILURE 03-??-61 USSR PAD SPACECRAFT FIRE-ELEC. PROBLEM-KILLED ONE COSMONAUT 04-07-61 RUSSIAN VLADIMIR LLYUSHIN CRASHED IN CHINA, BUT SURVIVED 04-12-61 VOSTOK I YURI GARGRIN l0 ORBITS

5-05-61 MR-3 LAUNCHED, SHEPHARD ARCHED FLIGHT
7-21-61 MR-4 LAUNCHED, GRISSOM ARCHED FLIGHT

08-06-61 USSR VOSTOK 2 -GHERMAN TITOV 1 DAY ORBIT

10-27-61 SATURN C1 SA-1 LAUNCH-H2O/16 STORIES/THRUST=1,296,000 LBS

11-29-61 ATLAS MA-5, CHIMP "ENOS" 2-0RBITS 02-20-62 ATLAS MA-6, JOHN GLENN 3-0RBIT,ENTRY NEAR FAILURE,LOOSE SHIELD

4-25-62 SATURN Cl SA-2 LAUNCH-H2O PROJECT "HIGH WATER"

05-24-62 CARPENTER MA-7 ATLAS 3-0RBIT RECOVERY 250 MILES OVERSHOOT

9-11-62 JFK VISITS MSFC - ORDERS MOON SHOT

10-03-62 ATLES MA-8, SCHIRRA 6-0RBITS

11-16-62 SATURN C-l SA-3 LAUNCH PROJECT "HIGH WATER"
1-25-63 SATURN V ROCKET STARTED
3-28-63 SATURN C-l SA--4 LAUNCH "ENGINE OUT TEST"

05-15-63 ATLES MA-9, COOPER 22-0RBITS 06-16-63 USSR VOSTOK 6 -1ST WOMAN-VALENTINA TERECUKOVA, 45 ORBITS

7-05-63 MOON LANDING MODE DECISION MADE

11-22-63 PRESIDENT KENNEDY KILLED

1-29-64 SATURN SA-5 LAUNCH ORBIT WITH 1ST SECOND LIVE STAGE TEST

04-08-64 USAF GEMINI ROCKET GT-l LAUNCH UNMANNED

3-24-64 MSFC VISIT BY LADY BIRD JOHNSON, INSTEAD OF PRESIDENT
5-28-64 SA-6 LAUNCH ORBIT 1ST APOLLO
9-18-64 SA-7 LAUNCH ORBIT SPACECRAFT - TEST ESCAPE SYSTEM

10-12-64 USSR VOSKHOD 1, 3 MAN ORBIT-NO SUITS-RETURN OK 01-19-65 USAF GT-2 LAUNCH UNMANNED

2-16-65 SA-9 PEGASUS A

03-18-65 USSR VOSKHOD 2- 2 MAN ALEXEI LEONOV SPACE WALK (LOST 1 DAY) 03-23-65 USAF GT-3 GRISSOM/YOUNG 3-0RBIT

5-25-65 SA-8 PEGASUS B

06-03-65 USAF GT-4 McDIVITT/WHITE 66-0RBIT

4-16-65 SATURN S-1C-T 1ST STAGE STATIC FIRED 6.5 SEC
7-30-65 SA-l0 PEGASUS C END OF SATERN C1 PROGRAM
8-05-65 SATURN S-1C-T 1ST STAGE STATIC DURATION FIRED 165 SEC
8-o9-65 NAA/DOUGLAS SATURN S-II & S-IV STAGES FULL DURATION TESTS

08-21-65 USAF GT-5 COOPER/CONRAD LIGHTING ROVZ 12-04-65 USAF GT-7 BORMAN/LOVELL 2-WKS 12-15-65 USAF GT-6 SHIRRA/STAFFORD 01-06-66 USAF GT-9 STAFFORD/CERNAN DOCKING

2-26-66 S-IB-201 LAUNCH-ORBIT

03-16-66 USAF GT-8 ARMSTRONG/SCOTT DOCKING 05-30-66 |SURVEYOR I ATLAS/CENTAUR-MOON SURFACE LANDING

7-05-66 S-IB-203 LAUNCH S-IVB HYDROGEN J2 ENGINE

07-18-66 USAF GT-10 YOUNG/COLLINS DOCK/WALK

8-25-66 S-IB-202 LAUNCH APOLLO HEAT SHIELD RE-ENTRY TEST
8-26-66 SA-501 SHIPS TO KSC

09-12-66 USAF GT-11 CONRAD/GORDON DOCK/WALK ATLAS-CENTAUR

9-11-66 SA-501 ARRIVES AT KSC

11-11-66 USAF GT-12 LOVEL/ALDRIN DOCK/WALK

12-6-66 AST-1 SATELLITE ATLAS-AGENA -CLOUDS STUDY
1-27-67 S-IB-204 APOLLO I PAD FIRE KILLED GRISSOM/WHITE/CHAFFEE

04-17-67 SURVEYOR III ATLAS/CENTAUR-MOON SURFACE LANDING 04-23-67 USSR SOYUZ-l PILOT VLADIMIR KOMAROV KILLED 11-??-67 USSR MOON SHOT FAILED-UNMANNED

11-9-67 SA-501 LAUNCH " ALL-UP" APOLLO 4 ORBIT

12-12-67 PRESIDENT JOHNSON VISITS MSFC

1-14-68 NASA - MSFC REDUCTION IN FORCE(RIF), 1st. LAYOFF 753 EMPLOYEES
1968-1975 NASA - MSFC (RIF) from 7327 to 3760, 38/116 Germans remain in 1975 (89% of force).
1-22-68 APOLLO 5 S-1B-205 (S-IVB) ORBIT TEST RE-ENRTY

04-??-68 USSR MOON SHOT FAILURE-UNMANNED

4-04-68 APOLLO 6 SA-502 TEST RE-ENTRY, 2-J2 S-II #2&3 ENG CUTOFF
4-05-68 AST-2 SATELLITE ATLAS-AGENA GRAVITY

07-14-68 USSR L1 ZOND EXPLODED, KILLS ONE

10-11-68 APOLLO 7 S-IB-206 SCHIRRA/EISELE/CUNNINGHAM-163 ORBITS

10-30-68 USSR SOYUZ 2 & 3 DOCKING-ALL RETURNED SAFE 12-??-68 USSR ZOND MAN AROUND MOON CANCELLED

12-21-68 APOLLO 8 SA-503 BORMAN/LOVELL/ANDERS-MOON ORBIT

01-14-69 USSR SOYUZ 4 & 5 DOCKED IN SPACE (TWO SPACECRAFTS) 02-21-69 USSR Nl SUPER ROCKET BLEW-UP 68 SEC. IN FLT/UNMANNED

3-3-69 APOLLO 9 SA-504 SCOTT/McDIVITT/SCHWEICKART S-IVB DOCKING 11 DAYS
5-18-69 APOLLO 10 SA-505 STAFFORD/YOUNG/CERNAN-ORBIT

07-03-69 USSR Nl SUPER ROCKET 5L DISASTER-UNMANNED

7-16-69 APOLLO 11 SA-506 ARMSTRONG/ALDRIN/COLLINS MOON-LANDING

07-19-69 USSR LUNA 15 MOON PROBE LANDED 11-??-69 USSR MOON SHOT FAILURE-UNMANNED

11-14-69 APOLLO 12 SA-507 CONRAD/BEAN/GORDON-MOON LANDING
2-25-70 Dr. von BRAUN TRANSFERS TO WASHINGTON
4-11-70 APOLLO 13 SA-508 LOVELL/SWIGERT/HAISE MOONSHOT NEAR FAIL 200K MILES TO MOON, OXYGEN TANK EXPLODED. LEM USED FOR RESCUE.
1-31-71 APOLLO 14 SA-509 SHEPHARD/MITCHELL/ROOSA-MOON LANDING

04-19-71 USSR SALYUT I -SPACE STATION LAUNCHED-3 CREWMEN DIES ON LANDING 06-??-71 USSR Nl SUPER ROCKET FAILED-UNMANNED 06-06-71 USSR SOYUZ-11 AFTER 24 DAYS IN ORBIT, CREW DOBROVOLSKY, VOLKOV &PATSAYEV WERE KILLED ON RE-ENTRY. OXYGEN LEAKED OUT-NO SPACE SUITS

7-30-71 APOLLO 15 SA-510 SCOTT/IRWIN/WORSEN-MOON LANDING

01-05-72 NIXON ORDERS MFG OF SPACE SHUTTLE

4-21-72 APOLLO 16 SA-511 YOUNG/DUKE/MATTINGLY-MOON LANDING

07-29-72 USSR LAUNCH FAILURE-UNMANNED 11-??-72 USSR SUPER BOOSTER FAILURE-UNMANNED

6-10-72 von BRAUN WENT TO FAIRCHILD INC
12-7-72 APOLLO 17 SA-513 NITE-CERNAN/SCHMITT/EVANS-MOON LANDING
1-??-73 GERMAN FINAL SOLUTION-START RETIRING,GERMANS REPLACED
5-11-73 SKYLAB SA-513 MAN ORBITING LABORATORY LAUNCHED
5-25-73 SKYLAB CREW-2 S-IB-207 REPAIRED SKYLAB KERWIN,WEITZ,CONRAD
7-28-73 SKYLAB CREW-3 S-IB-208 BEAN/GARRITT/LOUSMA (TRUSTERS)
11-16-73 SKYLAB CREW-4 S-IB-209 CARR/POGUE/GIBSON

08-??-77 USSR 2 SPACESHIPS SIMULTANEOUS SHOTS FAILED-UNMANNED

7-17-75 APOLLO SA-514 ASTP ROVZ STAFFORD/SLAYTON/BRAND-DOCK WITH USSR

07-17-75 USSR SOYUZ 19 SPACE LEONOV/KUBASOV (LAST APOLLO & SATURN)

12-31-76 Dr. von BRAUN RETIRES, HAS CANCER
6-16-77 Dr. von BRAUN DIED IN ALEXANDRIA, VA

03-02-78 USSR 18T NON-STOP FLIGHT ENDED 04-12-81 VALDIMIR REMEK-185 DAYS 04-12-81 STS-1 COLUMBIA SPACE SHUTTLE 1ST FLIGHT YOUNG & CRIPPEN 09-26-83 SOYUZ 18 TRIP TO MIR/FIRE ON PAD/ESCAPE TOWER SAVES 2 01-28-86 SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER EXPLODED AFTER LIFT-OFF, KILLED MCNAIR/ONIZUKA/McAULIFFE/JARVIS/SMITH/RESNIK/SCOBEE 02-20-86 USSR MIR LAUNCHED IN (6) DOCKINGS/PARTS FOR MODULES 11-15-88 USSF: SPACE SHUTTLE "BURAN" LAUNCHED 10-29-97 SHUTTLE DISCOVERY -JOHN GLENN RETURNS TO SPACE ??-??-98 USSR "ZARYA" 1ST INT. SPACE STATION CONTROL MODULE LAUNCHED 12-04-98 USA LAUNCHED "UNITY" CONNECTING MODULE INT. SFACE STATION 05-27-99 SHUTTLE STS-96 DOCKED WITH ISS - 2ND TIME 07-23-99 SHUTTLE ST8-93 DEPLOYS CHANDRA X-RAY SCOPE-COM.EILEEN COLLINS,AND JOHN GLENN RETURNS TO SPACE 02-07-01 SHUTTLE TO ISS WITH DESTINY LAB MODULE 02-12-01 NASA 'NEAR' SPACECRAFT LANDED ON ASTEROID EROS AFTER 4 ORBITS 02-01-03 SHUTTLE COLIMBIA RE-ENTRY BURNED UP-KILLS 2 WOMEN & 5 MEN, RICK HUSBAND, MICHAEL ANDERSON, LAUREL CLARK, DAVID BROWN, WILLIAM McCOOL, DR.KALPAPA CHAWLA(INDIA) & ILAN RAMON(ISEAEL) 07-26-05 SHUTTLE DISCOVERY RETURNS TO SPACE - MORE FOAM PROBLEMS 09-23-05 NASA ANNOUNCE PLAN - RETURN TO MOON AND BEYOND TO MARS 07-08-11 SHUTTLE ATLANTIS LAST FLIGHT- SHUTTLES RETIED - OVER 130 MISSIONS

TOTAL KILLED: USA=17, USSR= 173 + 7 DOGS

OTHER ACCIDENTS: USA = 4

“Grady 03:19, 14 June 2012 (UTC)“