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Gerald D. Griffin
Photo: NASA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons13

Gerald D. Griffin

American aerospace engineer and businessman (born 1934)

Gerald D. Griffin (born December 25, 1934) is an American aeronautical engineer and former NASA official, who served as a flight director during the Apollo program and director of Johnson Space Center, succeeding Chris Kraft in 1982.2

From Wikipedia’s article on Gerald D. Griffin (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Born Dec 25, 1934.1

About

When Griffin was nine years old his family moved to Fort Worth, Texas. Upon graduation from Texas A&M he was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force. He served four years on active duty, first in flight training, then flying as a weapon systems officer in jet fighter-interceptors. In 1960 Griffin left active duty and began his space career as a systems engineer/flight controller at the USAF Satellite Test Center in Sunnyvale, California.

In 1964 Griffin joined NASA in Houston as a flight controller in Mission Control, specializing in guidance, navigation and control systems during Project Gemini. In 1968 he was named a Mission Control flight director and served in that role for all of the Apollo Program crewed missions, including all nine crewed missions out to the Moon, six of which included lunar landings. Griffin's "Gold" team conducted half of the lunar landings made during Apollo: Apollos 14, 15, 16, and 17. His team was scheduled to conduct the landing of Apollo 13, but when the landing was cancelled as a result of the oxygen tank explosion, his team played a key role in the safe return of the astronauts.

After the Apollo Program was completed Griffin served in other roles at NASA, first in multiple positions at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., then as the deputy director of the Dryden (now Armstrong) Flight Research Center in California, then as deputy director of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. In 1982 he returned to Houston as director of the Johnson Space Center.

After taking early retirement from NASA in 1986, Griffin became a senior executive with several non-space, as well as space-related, companies and organizations in the private sector. Today Griffin remains active in several businesses at the senior level. He also is a technical and management consultant for a broad range of clients.

From Wikipedia’s article on Gerald D. Griffin, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.2

Companies

Early life and education

  • Date not recordedTexas A&M University3

Gerry and his twin brother, Richard L. "Larry" Griffin, were born on December 25, 1934, in Athens, Texas to parents Herschel Hayden Griffin (1903–1989) and Helen Elizabeth Boswell Griffin (1904–1947). The twins also had an older brother, Kenneth H. "Ken" Griffin (1925–2003). The family moved to Fort Worth, Texas in 1944, and Gerry graduated from Arlington Heights High School in 1952. While in high school Gerry continued his activities in the Boy Scouts of America and earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1951 at the age of 16. In junior high school and high school Gerry also began his long association with the military through the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC), then the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC).

In the fall of 1952 Griffin entered the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, now Texas A&M University, to study aeronautical engineering. He was a member of the famed Texas A&M Corps of Cadets for four years and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force (USAF) upon graduation in 1956 with a Bachelor of Science degree. After graduation Griffin went to work for Douglas Aircraft Company in Long Beach, California, prior to being called to active duty by the USAF.

From Wikipedia’s article on Gerald D. Griffin (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Career

Occupation: engineer, military flight engineer, aircraft pilot, aerospace engineer.6

  • Date not recordedWorked at National Aeronautics and Space Administration4
  • Date not recordedFounded Golden Spike Company5

Pre-NASA space career

Lockheed Missile and Space Company (LMSC)

Immediately after leaving USAF active duty Griffin joined LMSC in January 1961 as a Missile Systems Engineer at the USAF Satellite Test Center (STC) in Sunnyvale, California. LMSC was the prime contractor for flight operations in the STC which controlled USAF satellites launched into polar orbit from Vandenberg AFB, California. This was the era of the early reconnaissance (spy) satellites with names such as Discoverer, MIDAS and SAMOS. This was Griffin's first experience as a real-time flight controller during launch, orbit, and entry of space vehicles. He performed systems analysis of the satellites and the Agena upper stage used on the Thor and Atlas launch vehicles. Griffin's primary areas of specialty were guidance, control and propulsion systems.

General Dynamics/Fort Worth (GD/FW)

In 1962 Griffin left LMSC after two years to return to his native Texas and became a Senior Aerosystems Engineer at GD/FW in Fort Worth, Texas. GD/FW, a long-time designer and developer of aircraft, was venturing into space systems studies and, hopefully, space hardware development in the future. Griffin was brought in to help in the space effort, but from the beginning he was involved in research and engineering tasks involving aircraft and spacecraft guidance and control systems for NASA and USAF customers.

From May 5, 1961, the day astronaut Al Shepard rode the Freedom 7 spacecraft in a suborbital flight down the Atlantic Ocean from Cape Canaveral, Griffin's desire was to work at NASA as a flight controller in Mission Control.

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NASA career

NASA Manned Spacecraft Center

Project Gemini

In June 1964 Griffin went to work at the Manned Spacecraft Center (renamed Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in 1973). Project Mercury had recently ended and Project Gemini was just beginning. The USAF Agena was to be used as a rendezvous and docking target for the Gemini, and because of his background with the Agena Griffin was hired as an Agena flight controller. However, the second (and final) uncrewed test flight of the Gemini-Titan was about to take place at Cape Canaveral, and Griffin was diverted to become a Gemini flight controller in the position of "GNC": Guidance, Navigation & Control. He served as a GNC flight controller throughout the Gemini program, specializing in guidance, navigation, control and propulsion systems. At the completion of Project Gemini he was preparing for a similar role for the Apollo program when the Apollo 1 fire occurred.

Apollo Program

As a result of the Apollo 1 fire the Apollo mission schedule was delayed for 21 months. During the delay Griffin was named an Apollo flight director and served in that role for all of the Apollo Program crewed missions. Griffin was lead flight director for three lunar missions: Apollo 12, Apollo 15, and Apollo 17. Griffin's "Gold" team controlled two Earth launches (Apollo 12 and Apollo 15), and half of Apollo's six lunar landings (Apollo 14, 16, and 17). His team was scheduled to conduct the landing of Apollo 13, but when the landing was canceled as a result of the oxygen tank explosion, his team played a key role in the safe return of the astronauts.

NASA Headquarters

Assistant Administrator for Legislative Affairs

Griffin was responsible for coordinating and orchestrating all NASA liaison activities with Congress. He served as the principal advisor to the Administrator and other NASA officials on matters involving relations with Congress as well as state and local governments.

Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Flight (Operations)

Griffin was responsible for early Space Transportation Systems (STS) operations planning, the development of user policies, and the establishment of pricing policies. These initial STS operational concepts were incorporated in overall Agency planning for the Shuttle era and became the foundation for later STS operations.

NASA Dryden Flight Research Center

Deputy director

Griffin served as "general manager" of the NASA center responsible for aircraft flight research programs involving a wide variety of aeronautical and space technology. Major efforts involved the flight testing of high-speed aircraft and preparations for the Shuttle Approach and Landing Test Program. In addition to general management functions, his specific duties required a strong interface with USAF flight research/test activities.

NASA Kennedy Space Center

Deputy director

Griffin served as the "general manager" of NASA's center for launch operations for uncrewed and crewed systems. KSC was a 140,000-acre installation with an original plant value of $1.8 billion, a workforce of 2,200 civil servants and 10,000 support contractors and an annual budget of $550 million. During this period KSC was the launch site for the uncrewed Delta and Atlas-Centaur launch vehicles and the April 1981 first launch of the Space Shuttle.

Scott Science & Technology, Inc.

Vice president

Griffin had responsibility for systems engineering and general management functions of the company, a small R&D organization involved in high-technology products manufacturing and testing, research studies, management systems consultation and classified support contact work for the Department of Defense crewed space flight activities.

NASA Johnson Space Center

Director

Griffin was responsible for NASA's prime center for crewed space flight R&D and operations. The workforce included 3,200 civil servants and 10,000 support contractors. He was responsible for a budget of $1.5 billion per year and a diverse array of unique facilities. Griffin led the successful effort to bring the full Shuttle capability to operational status and played a key role in securing approval for the development of the International Space Station.

Private sector career

Greater Houston Chamber of Commerce

President and CEO

Griffin was responsible for the total operation of the Greater Houston Chamber of Commerce, one of the largest chambers of commerce in the United States. His duties included external and internal functions. External functions included developing and executing a board-approved program of work aimed at regional improvements and economic development. Internal functions included budget planning and control, membership development and staffing.

Korn Ferry International

Managing director, Houston Office

Griffin was responsible for leading and directing the operation of the Houston office of Korn/Ferry International. He conducted searches in a general practice and, on a firm wide basis, specialized in searches for the aerospace, defense and other technology intensive industries.

Comarco, Inc

Chairman of the board

Griffin joined the board of Comarco as a director in April 1986 and, in August 1988, was named chairman of the board. Comarco was a publicly owned company traded on the NASDAQ exchange and had sales of approximately $55 million per year. Comarco was a leading provider of advanced technology tools and engineering services to the wireless communications industry. Comarco also designed and manufactured mobile power products for wireless devices.

Korn Ferry International

Senior consultant

As a senior consultant with Korn/Ferry International, Griffin assists the firm in recruiting assignments for senior-level executives, especially for clients in technology-intensive industries and organizations. He is the former managing director of Korn/Ferry's Houston office.

GDG Consulting

Owner and principal

Griffin currently provides technical and management consulting services for a broad range of clients.

KLG Contracting, Inc

Owner and president

KLG Contracting, Inc., an S-corporation, provides general contracting, site preparation, and construction services for private home and other building projects.

Golden Spike Company

Chairman of the board

Griffin is chairman of the board of the Golden Spike Company (GSC), a Delaware Corporation headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. GSC is early-stage commercial space company whose long-term goal is to develop and operate capabilities in space infrastructure for travel and exploration in and beyond low Earth orbit.

Professional organizations

Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Fellow, American Astronautical Society

Member, Experimental Aircraft Association

Member, National Aeronautic Association

Member, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association

Member, Screen Actors Guild

From Wikipedia’s article on Gerald D. Griffin (this version), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Personal life

  • BornDec 25, 1934, Athens7
  • CitizenshipUnited States8

Awards

  • 1986NASA Distinguished Service Medal9 11
  • 1970Presidential Medal of Freedom9 10

Sources

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