Interview with: Olav Smistad Location of Interview: Houston, TX, United States Dates of Interview: 04-03-2002 Interviewer: Carol Butler Project Lead(s): Sandra Johnson, Jennifer Ross-Nazzal, Rebecca Wright Affiliation: NASA Collection: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Oral Histories The interviews in this collection were selected from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Oral History Program, which contains interviews with aerospace legends, analyses of key events, aerospace chronologies, and more. The interviews included here are those that relate specifically to NOAA's mission. Olav Smistad, a Norwegian immigrant with a background in engineering, made significant contributions to the American space program during his tenure at NASA. His career is marked by his involvement in the Gemini Program, where he faced the intricate challenges of integrating experiments into spacecraft. Smistad's expertise was not only instrumental during the Gemini missions but also extended to the early Apollo missions, where he played a pivotal role. His work in the Earth Observations Program showcased his ability to develop advanced sensor systems for down-looking aircraft and leverage infrared film for remote sensing. Smistad's career at NASA was also shaped by his response to the Apollo-204 accident, which underscored the importance of safety and learning from failures within the space program. Beyond his technical achievements, Smistad's anecdotes from his time at NASA reflect the human side of space exploration and the collective efforts to push the boundaries of what was possible in the era of early spaceflight. The interview with Olav Smistad provides a comprehensive overview of the evolution of space experiments from the Gemini Program through to the Skylab missions. It delves into the complexities of incorporating scientific experiments into spacecraft, highlighting the challenges and adaptations that followed the Apollo-204 accident. Smistad's narrative captures the essence of the Earth Observations Program, detailing the collaborative efforts with universities, government agencies, and international partners that culminated in the development of satellite systems for global surveillance. The interview also explores the LACIE Program's innovative use of satellite and aircraft data to monitor global wheat production. Smistad's involvement in the Earth Resources Program and his contributions to the Apollo 1 fire investigation are discussed, along with the transfer of the Earth Resources Program to Stennis Space Center. The interview touches on the broader context of NASA's work, including Senator John Stennis's advocacy for NASA's presence in Mississippi and the subsequent growth of programs at Stennis Space Center under the leadership of figures like Bob Piland and Roy Estes. Additionally, the interview sheds light on John D. Hodge's role in promoting commercial ventures in space, including the Space Station program and the Centers for the Commercial Development of Space. PDF Transcript: Smistad_Olav_04-03-2002.pdf (392.97 KB) Permalink: https://www.noaa.gov/noaa-collections/noaa-voices/olav-smistad