When was George Low born and where did he grow up?
George Michael Löw was born near Vienna, Austria, on the 10th of June 1926. His family fled to the United States as Jewish refugees in 1938 after Nazi Germany occupied his homeland.
Questions about George Low
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What role did George Low play in planning the Apollo lunar landing program?
Low formed the Low Committee in 1960 to produce a lunar landing feasibility study that influenced John F. Kennedy's decision to set a goal of landing humans on the Moon by the end of the 1960s. He served as Chief of Manned Space Flight while closely involved in planning Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo projects.
How did George Low respond to the Apollo 1 fire tragedy in 1967?
Following the Apollo 1 fire, Low was named manager of the Apollo Spacecraft Program Office in April 1967. He led the use of failure mode and effects analysis to rigorously define risks in human spaceflight and created the Configuration Control Board to monitor technical changes affecting other parts of the system.
Why did Wernher von Braun claim George Low forced his departure from NASA?
Rocket engineer Wernher von Braun blamed Low for shabby treatment in the early 1970s according to Bob Ward's 2005 biography. Von Braun believed Low was jealous of his fame and helped force his departure from the agency.
When did George Low receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom and why?
On the 8th of April 1985, the White House announced that Low had been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This honor recognized his contributions to both education and science fields.