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Memorial Tributes Volume 3 (1989) / Chapter Skim
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George Michael Low
Pages 250-257

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From page 251...
... During the previous eight years, George Low was president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and, in addition to cleveloping the institute into one of the nation's finest, played a leacling role in formulating the nation's science and technology policy. In fact, in recent years, whenever strong leadership was neecled to resolve a new problem or to pursue a new opportunity in any branch of science or technology, George Low's name was always at the top of the list.
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From page 252...
... overall responsibility for the Gemini and Apollo spacecraft clevelopment, as well as for future program clevelopment and flight and astronaut operations—in fact, for all activities related to manned space. In April 1967, after the disastrous Apollo fire that killect three astronauts, NASA administrator James Webb agreed that Low should work fulItime on Apollo spacecraft development as manager of the Apollo spacecraft program.
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From page 253...
... At the conclusion of the Apollo program and after twentyseven years of government service not withstanding NASAs embarkation, under his leadership, on the new space shuttle program Low began to consider the many offers he received of positions outside the fecleral government. The choice was easy.
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From page 254...
... RPI had always tract an exceptional student bocly, most of which was drawn from the top five to ten percent of students taking college admission tests. Low proceeclect to broaden its earlier reputation as a first-cIass undergraduate school to that of a national research university anc!
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From page 255...
... This ability was especially apparent at NASA headquarters in dealing with the White House and Congress, but it was also noticeable in his public speaking engagements at RPT and in his clearings with the governor and the state legislature of New York. He was a relentless program manager with an enormous capacity for absorbing details to the wonder of everyone who worked for him.
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From page 256...
... Low received many honors, medals, and honorary degrees throughout his career, beginning, perhaps, in 1963 with the Arthur FIemming Award for the ten outstanding young men in government and continuing with the National Academy of Engineering's Founders Award in 1978—the highest award given by the academy. On July 20, 1984, the fifteenth anniversary of the lancting on the moon and three days after George how's passing, President Reagan announced that Low wouIct receive the Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest award to a civilian.
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Key Terms

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  • manned space
  • apollo program

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  • whenever strong
  • strong leadership
  • wouict receive
  • spacecraft development

  • clepencled partly
  • ten percent
  • projects branch
  • administrator thomas
  • spacecraft program

  • exceptional student
  • accept assignments
  • college admission
  • nasas predecessor
  • fourteenth president

  • rarely commented
  • low rarely
  • established uncler
  • hard work
  • webb agreed

  • student bocly
  • reagan announced
  • speaking engagements
  • manned spacecraft
  • deputy administrator


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