Robert S. Kraemer


Robert Samuel Kraemer was an American aerospace engineer who served as Director of Planetary Programs at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration from 1971 to 1976.

Early life and education

Robert Kraemer was born in Fullerton, California, the son of a citrus rancher. He grew up in Placentia, California, and attended college at the University of Notre Dame where be received his B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering in 1950. He then moved back to California to earn a master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from Caltech in 1951.

Career

Rocketdyne

Robert Kraemer was hired by the rocket division of North American Aviation where he designed rocket engines. Kraemer served as the head of Advanced Design at Rocketdyne for over a decade, designing or overseeing the development of the engines that powered Jupiter, Thor, Atlas, and Saturn rockets.

Ford Aeronutronic

Kraemer left Rocketdyne to join The Aeronutronic Division of the Ford Motor Company in the Fall of 1961, where he was promoted to chief engineer for Space Systems.

NASA

Kraemer joined NASA in 1967 to manage the Voyager Mars Surface Laboratory, a program that was canceled within months of his arrival. He was then appointed as manager of Advanced Planetary Programs and Technology, and immediately began plans for a Mars orbiter. Beginning in 1969, he also chaired the Outer Planets Working Group, which met monthly to review competing mission plans under development to explore the outer planets, and make recommendations.
In June 1970, Kraemer replaced Don Hearth as the Director of Planetary Programs, and was officially given the title in March 1971. In this capacity, he oversaw the development of the following exploration spacecraft:
Kraemer was awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, NASA's highest award.
Kraemer later served as Assistant Director of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. He retired in 1990.

Publications

As well as various articles and reports, Kraemer authored two books: