Thomas J. Kelly (aerospace engineer)
| Thomas Joseph Kelly | |
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Kelly at National Academy of Engineering
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| Born |
June 14, 1929 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | March 23, 2002 (aged 72) Cutchogue, New York, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Six-year battle with pulmonary fibrosis |
| Occupation | Aerospace Engineer |
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Thomas Joseph Kelly (June 14, 1929 – March 23, 2002) was an American aerospace engineer. Kelly primarily worked on the Apollo Lunar Module, which earned him the name of "Father of the Lunar Module" from NASA.
Kelly graduated from Cornell University in 1951, where he was a member of the Quill and Dagger society. Afterwards, Kelly obtained his MS degree from Columbia University and Ph.D. from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn.
Kelly was the project engineer, engineering manager and deputy program manager for Grumman Aircraft's Apollo Lunar Module (1962–1970). His 2001 book Moon Lander: How We Developed the Apollo Lunar Module documents the process of designing, building and flying the Lunar Module.
Kelly was portrayed by Matt Craven in the 1998 miniseries From the Earth to the Moon.
Kelly was born on June 14, 1929, in Brooklyn, New York, and raised in Merrick, New York. He attended Wellington C. Mepham High School. While attending, Kelly was remembered by his genial nature, impish smile, playing the trumpet, and his ability to "ace" all his tests. In his local middle-class neighborhood parents would compare their children's performance to how well Tom Kelly performed. "Tom would never get a C, study harder." Even with all of his brilliance, he not once showed arrogance and was still a very likeable and popular child at what is now called Camp Avenue school in North Merrick. He eventually graduated Mepham with valedictorian.
In 1946, Kelly attended Cornell University under a Grumman scholarship. During this time he worked his summers at Grumman, eventually earning himself a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a Reserve Officers' Training Corps commission in 1951. Kelly later earned a master's degree from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn.
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