:09:01
I think you'll find it interesting.
:09:04
Look at Houbolt.
:09:05
He reads the report, and he's Moses,
come down from the mountain.
:09:09
- So he's a little enthusiastic.
- A little enthusiastic?
:09:11
He's makin' a fool of himself. You hear
what happened in the Heaton Committee?
:09:14
- Yeah.
- And he even wasn't allowed...
:09:16
into the technical conference.
:09:18
Well, he'll get the hint,
and he'll give it up.
:09:21
I hear he's going to write to Seamans.
:09:24
- He doesn't report to Seamans.
- I know.
:09:26
- He could get canned.
- I know.
:09:31
Dear Dr. Seamans:
:09:33
Somewhat as a voice
in the wilderness...
:09:35
I'd like to pass on
a few thoughts on matters...
:09:37
that have been of a deep concern to me
over the recent months.
:09:40
I have tried, on numerous occasions...
:09:42
"To draw attention throughout NASA to
the concept of Lunar Orbit Rendezvous.
:09:47
Regrettably there has been
little interest shown.
:09:50
Now, do we wanna get to the moon
or not?"
:09:52
Yes, sir. Right away, sir.
:09:54
It goes on like this
for another eight pages...
:09:57
Then there's a 40-page report.
Good Lord!
:10:00
I can make a call.
He won't do it again.
:10:02
Hold on. I'll tell you what.
Draft a reply.
:10:05
Say that his idea has merit and that
I'm going to send it along to Brainerd.
:10:09
And then see if this Mr. Houbolt
isn't due a vacation soon...
:10:14
because, Dear God, he needs one.
:10:16
"Somewhat as a voice in the wilderness."
:10:22
Does it have merit?
:10:24
Well, actually
it's an intriguing notion.
:10:26
It's a little risky,
but it could save a lot of weight.
:10:30
I don't think
there's a chance in hell...
:10:31
that Lunar Orbit Rendezvous
is the way we're gonna go...
:10:33
but it is interesting.
:10:35
I'll see you at 3:00.
:10:38
In July 1962, the idea that didn't have
a chance in hell of succeeding...
:10:42
succeeded.
:10:43
NASA selected Lunar Orbit Rendezvous
as the way to go to the moon.
:10:47
Now the question became:
"Who would build the lander?"
:10:51
My name is Tom Kelly.
:10:53
On the day after election day, 1962...
:10:55
I waited with the rest
of the Grumman lander team...
:10:57
for a call from my boss, Joe Gavin.