https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/33feb4e7-1609-4590-a334-53b4fd991de2 Lee Solid worked for Rocketdyne engineering rocket engines for the Atlas, Thor, Delta, Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle programs. With a degree in mechanical engineering but no background in rockets, he started as an Engineer for Rocketdyne in 1959. Over the years he moved up to Lead Engineer / Engineering Manager / higher management. Lee's work with Rocketdyne started in California in 1959 but moved to Cape Canaveral in 1960. He was then transferred back to California after Apollo 13. He finally transferred back to Florida for the Space Shuttle program where he eventually retired. Lee shares many recollections. Among them is a funny story about the early days of the space race when an international organization would certify there was actually a person onboard to prevent counties "cheating" for political reasons. For every Mercury launch, Lee escorted the certifying official to the launchpad area and radioed the astronaut to wave his hand across the window while the official confirmed through binoculars. CORRECTION 7/1/22: Video title slide says interview was 2003. After video made it was found to have been 2002. An ORIGINAL production of The American Space Museum, Titusville, FL. Part of our original 2001 "Space Workers Oral History" Project. Interview by Dr. Lori C. Walters on Sept 13, 2002 in Titusville, FL. (NOT 2003) IT Manager, Technical Support, Editor: Bruce Landon Jacobs COPYRIGHT: 2003, 2022 American Space Museum and U.S. Space Walk of Fame Foundation Mirrored from YouTube: https://youtu.be/MFRd_rLgcI4 Original channel: American Space Museum Wed, 15 Jul 2026 12:43:18 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://peertube.dngr.us https://peertube.dngr.us/lazy-static/avatars/ec5edb1e-3795-4978-be4f-c67e98fbc992.png https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/33feb4e7-1609-4590-a334-53b4fd991de2 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://peertube.dngr.us/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.