An electrical engineer for NASA on the Apollo Lunar Landing Program, Ray Thompson (top), is known to BYU–Hawaii students simply as "Elder Thompson." Recently, BYU–Hawaii's Honors Program recently had the opportunity to hear from him personally at their weekly colloquia.
Thompson's duty at NASA was to make the initial design and organization of the equipment that would be involved in the lunar landing project. The Apollo 13 mission flew what Thompson and his group had designed and tested.
"None of the electronic equipment that went on the Apollo mission was [built yet], so, you can see it was a very challenging position to get men on the moon, which had never been done," said Thompson.
He also told students insider information about the astronauts, the moon, and the space mission.
"I would have had absolutely no chance at all if I had not gone to college. So I take my hats off to each one of you as you go about your efforts and so forth to get your college degree so that you can make a difference in history as well. I encourage each one of you to do the best you can because it will make a big difference in the rest of your life," said Thompson.
--Photo courtesy of Ryan Bagley