RIP Roger H. Battin

The Boston Globe reports that Roger H. Battin, the head of MIT’s Instrumentation Lab for design of the guidance, navigation, and control systems for the Apollo flights, died Feb. 8 in Emerson Hospital in Concord of pneumonia and complications from a fall. He was 88.

“His course in astronautical guidance was a real eye-opener to all of us in the Air Force who were undergoing an advanced program at MIT,” Aldrin, who had been one of Dr. Battin’s graduate students, said in a phone interview.

“He was a confident person who entertained questions in the most welcoming and respectful manner, sometimes with a slight smile on his face because the question usually indicated a bit of non-comprehension by the questioner,” said Aldrin, who graduated from MIT with a doctorate in 1963.


This is why we need to get all these hard working Apollo vets on tape, telling their stories, so we have them for years to come.  Won't you help?  If you know someone who worked on the Apollo Program from Mercury to ASTP, put them in touch with us!  Our email is apollotalks@gmail.com.