Apollo 13 Astronaut Speaks at UL Lafayette

Former NASA astronaut, Fred Haise, Jr., spoke to UL Lafayette's engineering students, faculty, and staff on Wednesday, September 26, 2018 in Rougeou Hall. He spoke about his career, including his time as lunar module pilot on Apollo 13 in 1970, when the mission ended earlier than planned due to the failure of a cryogenic oxygen tank on board. One of our faculty members, Dr. Simon, was working at the time as a Mechanical Engineer for NASA in Houston. He recalls monitoring the pressure levels in Houston for the flight when the pressure began to rise and the tank eventually over-pressurized. At the time of failure, Dr. Simon worked alongside the rest of the team on land to solve the issue of getting the crew back safetly with limited supplies, while Haise and the others on board worked to communicate the issues and continue collecting data.

Haise also spoke about his journey leading up to his role as a pilot which began when he first enlisted in the military in the 1950's, before which his goal was to become a journalist. However, Haise says that after his first flight, there was no turning back. He went on to receive the Presidential Medal for Freedom in 1970 and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 1978 along with many others, and he now serves on the board of directors for non-profit organizations, including the Infinity Science Center.