Flight director who saved Apollo 13

Milt Windler, one of four leaders of Mission Control who directed round-the-clock efforts to bring Apollo 13 astronauts safely home in nineteen seventy, has died at age ninety four.

Named flight director in nineteen sixty eight

Windler became a NASA flight director in nineteen sixty eight after working on recovery operations during Mercury and Gemini programs. He led shifts for Apollo eight, Apollo ten, and the second, third and fourth moon landings.

Skylab and the space shuttle

Windler served as flight director for all three crewed missions to Skylab, the United States' first space station. He later worked on the space shuttle and the development of the Canadarm robotic arm.

The pace of Apollo left no time to reflect

In a two thousand six oral history interview, Windler said Apollo moved so fast that people had no chance to think about it. He reflected that it only became clear later that they were making history.

“Apollo was such a rapid pace that I don't think people had the chance to think about it very much.”

Maroon Flight and the first moon orbit

Windler became the seventh flight director appointed and chose the team name Maroon Flight. On his first mission, he directed Apollo eight's trans-lunar injection burn, placing Frank Borman, Bill Anders and Jim Lovell on a trajectory to orbit the moon.

Secret flags for the space race

Windler and his wife Betty secretly prepared small red and blue flannel banners with the numeral one in white to wave at Apollo eight's trans-lunar injection as a message to Soviet space race adversaries. The flags were never displayed.

Lead flight director for Apollo 13

For Apollo thirteen, Windler was named lead flight director, overseeing the launch and lunar surface activity. When an explosion tore through the service module and crippled the spacecraft, the mission changed entirely.

Bringing Apollo 13 home

Windler and Gold Flight director Gerry Griffin polled flight controllers to develop three options for firing the lunar module's engine to put Apollo thirteen on a path back to Earth. They worked together to save the mission.

Real-time planning for Skylab science

As flight director during Skylab missions, Windler developed a system to plan in real time and accommodate science objectives. When interesting events happened on the sun, the Science Czar would coordinate with scientists to schedule Apollo Telescope Mount work.

From NACA to Houston

Born January tenth, nineteen thirty two in Hampton, Virginia, Windler graduated from Virginia Tech in nineteen fifty four with a degree in aeronautical engineering. He worked for NACA before joining NASA and relocating to Houston as the Manned Spacecraft Center was established.

Presidential Medal of Freedom

Windler and his fellow Apollo thirteen flight directors and controllers were awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Richard Nixon on April eighteenth, nineteen seventy. Windler was also honored with NASA's Exceptional Service Medal.

A life without time to savor

Windler is survived by his wife Betty, three children and eight grandchildren. A memorial service will take place in the coming weeks at the family's former church in Friendswood, Texas. He reflected that he would have tried to pay more attention to the historic moments.

“If I did it again, I'd probably try to do something more about trying to pay more attention.”