Apollo flight controller sharing experiences today

Alyssa DeGeorge

The lead flight controller for all the Apollo space missions, Sy Liebergot, is visiting Kent State today.

He is participating in three events throughout the day. All are free and open to the public.

Liebergot is speaking about “Ethics in Engineering,” based on his experiences in decision-making for the Apollo missions at 2:15 p.m. in Van Deusen Hall Room 115.

At 7 p.m. in the Kiva, he is talking about his experience as a flight controller for the Apollo 13 mission, using multimedia to tell the story of the “almost tragedy of Apollo 13,” said David Odell-Scott, professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy, who organized Liebergot’s visit.

A reception and book signing in Room 204 of the Student Center follows his presentation. Liebergot’s book, “Apollo EECOM: Journey of a Lifetime,” will be available for purchase.

These events are for “anyone who likes to meet the people who were the doers and made things happen in this country, anyone who is taken by the kind of adventure of the mind which was required of the men and women in the space program that very quickly led us from launching our first missile into orbit to landing on the moon,” said Odell-Scott.

“Anyone who has any interest in the adventure will find this gentleman very interesting,” he said.

The Departments of Chemistry, English, Geology, History, Philosophy and Physics are sponsoring Liebergot’s visit.

Contact reporter Alyssa DeGeorge at [email protected]