When was Thomas J. Kelly born and where did he grow up?
Thomas Joseph Kelly was born on the 14th of June 1929 in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in Merrick, a middle-class neighborhood known for its academic competition.
Questions about Thomas J. Kelly (aerospace engineer)
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What degree did Thomas J. Kelly earn from Cornell University and when?
Thomas J. Kelly earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering by 1951 after attending Cornell University under a Grumman scholarship starting in 1946.
Which spacecraft program did Thomas J. Kelly lead at Grumman during the Apollo era?
Thomas J. Kelly led the design team for the Lunar Excursion Module after Grumman won a $2-billion government contract from NASA in late 1962. His group managed more than 7,000 employees to build the two-stage spacecraft that took astronauts to the Moon's surface.
How old was Thomas J. Kelly when Neil Armstrong landed on the Moon?
Thomas J. Kelly had just turned 40 years old when Neil Armstrong took his first historic step on the Moon the 20th of July 1969.
When did Thomas J. Kelly retire from Grumman and what happened to the company afterward?
Thomas J. Kelly retired from Grumman in 1992 after spending 38 years with the company. Soon after his retirement, Grumman merged with Northrop to form Northrop Grumman Corporation which dispersed its operations from Long Island.
What caused the fuel line issue during the lunar landing mission involving Thomas J. Kelly?
Ice formed in a fuel line and clogged it completely during the landing, creating a risk where engine heat could have detonated the fuel instantly. The problem corrected itself before disaster struck while Thomas J. Kelly and the crew were under significant strain.