Former astronaut Fred Haise captivates visitors at Huntsville's U.S. Space & Rocket Center

AL.com: Former astronaut Fred Haise captivates visitors at Huntsville's U.S. Space & Rocket Center
HUNTSVILLE, AL -- Fred Haise, the lunar module pilot on the troubled Apollo 13 mission 41 years ago next month, called the Apollo program, which ended in the early '70s, an "incredible journey, an incredible program."

With a total of 24 astronauts taking part in Apollo missions and six missions landing on the moon's surface, the Apollo program was "really quite an accomplishment," Haise said today during his two-day visit to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. "It really was a program that made tremendous strides for that day and age."

Apollo 13 has become known as a successful failure, Haise said this afternoon as he talked to a group of campers. Launched April 11, 1970, on what was to have been a 10-day mission to the lunar surface, an oxygen tank explosion in the service module crippled the spacecraft about 55 hours into the flight.

"The first two days were a lot of fun," said Haise, who is 77. "It was a great adventure."

But losing an oxygen tank meant the lunar mission was over. "I felt a sick feeling at the pit of my stomach because I knew we had lost the (lunar) landing," he said.

In terms of mission objectives, Apollo 13 "was obviously a failure," Haise said. But in demonstrating "what a team could do with a major problem, I thought it was a great mission."

Today, the space center's 41st birthday, Haise made a "boot print" in concrete that will be installed at the center's Apollo Park. He's providing commentary tonight during a presentation of excepts of the "Apollo 13" movie after a reception and dinner at the Davidson Center for Space Exploration. Friday night, Haise is giving another presentation, "Overcoming Challenges," followed by movie excerpts.

Haise is also scheduled to speak Friday at the Space Camp/Space Academy graduation, in which his great-nephew, William Haise Johnston, a student at the American International School of Lagos, is taking part.

During his presentation to Space Camp participants today - complete with footage of the Apollo 13 launch and the astronauts during the mission - Haise was asked what he would like NASA to do next.

"Obviously I'd like NASA to follow their charter - the exploration of our solar system and beyond. I'd like to see people someday go to Mars."

In terms of space exploration, the U.S. has taken a step backward with the planned cancellation of the Constellation rocket program, he said.

"It was a unique situation that let the Apollo program evolve," Haise said. There was President John F. Kennedy's pronouncement in 1961 that the U.S. would land a man on the moon before the end of the decade, he said, and "Congress was supportive and the country at large supported it."

A camper asked Haise for his favorite moment of the Apollo 13 mission. "That's easy - when we splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on April 17," Haise said.

Haise saw the 1996 movie "Apollo 13" a couple of weeks before its release in theaters in a special showing in Houston for astronauts and their families and mission control personnel.

"They did some exaggerations for drama (but) I thought it was a pretty good action movie," Haise said. The time constraints for the movie, which lasted about two and a half hours, "made it difficult to include all the challenges we faced."

Haise also was the backup lunar module pilot for the Apollo 8 and 11 missions, and backup spacecraft commander for the Apollo 16 mission. He was commander of one of two crews that piloted approach and landing test flights during the development of the space shuttle.

"I've had a good career, some good experiences," said Haise, who retired in 1996 as president of Northrop Grumman Technical Services.

Haise's visit was a treat for museum visitors and Space Camp participants.

Gary and Brooke Gleason of Memphis came to the space center today with their 5-year-old son, Jack, and 2-year-old daughter, Grace. "We decided to come over and make it a day" at the center, said Gary Gleason. He never imagined the family would see an astronaut.

"This is amazing," said Gleason, who recognized Haise from recent television programs and took a photograph of his son with Haise.

Rowan O'Scannlain, 13, and Meredith Montgomery, 12, both students at the Chicago City Day School, are here this week for the Space Academy program and found out early today that Haise would talk to their group. They've both seen portions of the "Apollo 13" movie.

"We're really excited," said Rowan. "It's like seeing a movie star."