Robert S. Kraemer
BornOctober 21, 1928
Fullerton, California
DiedAugust 20, 2013 (2013-08-21) (aged 84)
Catonsville, Maryland
NationalityAmerican
Alma materCalifornia Institute of Technology (M.S.)
Known forChief Engineer for Space Systems at Ford Motor Company's Aeronutronic Division; Director of Planetary Programs, NASA
AwardsNASA Distinguished Service Medal (1977); NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal
Scientific career
FieldsAerospace
InstitutionsNational Aeronautics and Space Administration - Science Mission Directorate - Planetary Science Division

Robert Samuel Kraemer (October 21, 1928 – August 20, 2013) was an American aerospace engineer who served as Director of Planetary Programs at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration from 1971 to 1976.[1]

Early life and education

Robert Kraemer was born in Fullerton, California, the son of a citrus rancher. He grew up in Placentia, California, and attended college at the University of Notre Dame where be received his B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering in 1950. He then moved back to California to earn a master's degree in Aerospace Engineering (Rocket Propulsion Option) from Caltech in 1951.[2]

Career

Rocketdyne

Robert Kraemer was hired by the rocket division of North American Aviation (later known as Rocketdyne) where he designed rocket engines. Kraemer served as the head of Advanced Design at Rocketdyne for over a decade, designing or overseeing the development of the engines that powered Jupiter, Thor, Atlas, and Saturn rockets.[3]

Ford Aeronutronic

Kraemer left Rocketdyne to join The Aeronutronic Division of the Ford Motor Company (prime contractor for the Ranger series of lunar landers) in the Fall of 1961, where he was promoted to chief engineer for Space Systems.

NASA

Kraemer joined NASA in 1967 to manage the Voyager Mars Surface Laboratory, a program that was canceled within months of his arrival. He was then appointed as manager of Advanced Planetary Programs[4] and Technology, and immediately began plans for a Mars orbiter. Beginning in 1969, he also chaired the Outer Planets Working Group (OPWG), which met monthly to review competing mission plans under development to explore the outer planets, and make recommendations.

In June 1970, Kraemer replaced Don Hearth as the Director of Planetary Programs, and was officially given the title in March 1971.[1][5] In this capacity, he oversaw the development of the following exploration spacecraft:

  • Mariner 8 - Intended to orbit and image Mars. Failed to enter Earth orbit after rocket tumbled out of control.
  • Mariner 9 - Sister craft to Mariner 8, first spacecraft to successfully enter Mars orbit. Imaged 70% of the planet's surface.
  • Pioneer 10 - First probe to pass through asteroid belt and to visit Jupiter.[5]
  • Pioneer 11 - Explored Jupiter, then was first spacecraft to visit Saturn.[6]
  • Mariner 10 - Flyby of Venus, first spacecraft to use "slingshot effect"; first spacecraft to explore Mercury.
  • Helios 1 and Helios 2 - Investigated the interplanetary medium between the Earth's orbit and the Sun.
  • Viking 1 - Orbiter and lander. First soft landing on Mars. Searched for evidence of life.[7]
  • Viking 2 - sister craft to Viking 1. Soft-landed in a different hemisphere from Viking 1.
  • Voyager 1 - Visited Jupiter and Saturn with vastly improved instruments over Pioneer, First spacecraft to enter interstellar space.
  • Voyager 2 - Explored all of the outer planets. First craft to visit Uranus and Neptune.
  • Pioneer Venus 1 - First spacecraft to enter Venus orbit. Mapped entire surface topography with radar.
  • Pioneer Venus 2 - Carried four scientific probes that were dropped into the Venusian atmosphere.

Kraemer was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, NASA's highest award.

Kraemer later served as Assistant Director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. He retired in 1990.[2]

Publications

As well as various articles and reports,[8] Kraemer authored two books:

  • Beyond the Moon: A Golden Age of Planetary Exploration 1971-1978 (2000, Smithsonian Press, ISBN 1-5609-8954-8)[9][10]
  • Rocketdyne: Powering Humans into Space (2007, AIAA Press, ISBN 1-5634-7754-8)[11]

References

  1. 1 2 "NASA Historical Data Book" Retrieved 16 October 2013.
  2. 1 2 Rasmussen, Frederick. "Robert S. Kraemer, NASA’s former director of planetary exploration, dies at 84" Washington, 25 August 25, 2013. Retrieved on 16 October 2013.
  3. ↑ "Review: Rocketdyne: Powering Humans Into Space". The Space Review. by Anthony Young, May 29, 2007
  4. ↑ Mark Wolverton (4 June 2004). The Depths of Space:: The Story of the Pioneer Planetary Probes. National Academies Press. pp. 179–. ISBN 978-0-309-09050-6.
  5. 1 2 John Hubert Rogers (1995). The Giant Planet Jupiter. Cambridge University Press. pp. 26–. ISBN 978-0-521-41008-3.
  6. ↑ A. J. Dessler (15 August 2002). Physics of the Jovian Magnetosphere. Cambridge University Press. pp. 11–. ISBN 978-0-521-52006-5.
  7. ↑ Eric Burgess (January 1978). To the Red Planet. Columbia University Press. pp. 91–. ISBN 978-0-231-04392-2.
  8. ↑ From Engineering Science to Big Science: The NACA and NASA Collier Trophy Research Project Winners. Government Printing Office. 1998. pp. 260–. ISBN 978-0-16-049640-0.
  9. ↑ Steven J. Dick, Roger D. Launius (2018). Critical issues in the history of spaceflight. Government Printing Office. pp. 454–. ISBN 978-0-16-087753-7.
  10. ↑ Mark D. Bowles. Taming Liquid Hydrogen: The Centaur Upper Stage Rocket 1958-2002. Government Printing Office. pp. 103–. ISBN 978-0-16-087739-1.
  11. ↑ J. D. Hunley (1 February 2013). The Development of Propulsion Technology for U.S. Space-Launch Vehicles, 1926-1991. Texas A&M University Press. pp. 346–. ISBN 978-1-60344-987-8.
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