Gerald Wittenstein, or “Jerry”, was born in Brooklyn, New York. [1] He moved to Alabama when he was young and attended college at Birmingham-Southern College, where he earned his BS degree in physics. [2] He then moved to Huntsville, Alabama and earned his MS degree in administrative science and physics from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, graduating in 1961. [2]

After graduating, a relative who worked at NASA set up an interview for Jerry, and soon after he began work at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in 1961. [1] His work focused on orbital mechanics, and he helped design the trajectories used on the Apollo missions, including Apollo 11. He also worked on the navigation systems integration for the Saturn V’s instrument unit, as well as for inputting the guidance systems’ pre-settings. [3] He eventually became the NASA branch chief of the Flight Mechanics and Orbital Analysis branches. [3]

While working at NASA, he returned to UAH to earn another master’s degree in Engineering Management, graduating in 1966. [2]

He later assisted the European Space Agency with the design of Spacelab and contributed owkr on payload operations as an Orbit Analysis Engineer and a Payload Activity Planner. [3]

Jerry left NASA in 1986 and in 1991 founded his own company, International Space Systems, Inc. (ISSI) in Huntsville. [2]. ISSI supported NASA’s Ares and SLS programs by helping to direct the technical efforts of the flight dynamics and guidance systems research. [2].

Jerry also volunteered as a NASA senior advisor [2] in Marshall’s flight mechanics and analysis division until December of 2016, where he helped transfer his knowledge and experience to early career engineers [4].

Jerry’s work with NASA had a substantial impact on the design of space launch vehicles, and his “proposed use and implementation of the rocket equation for sizing and rapid evaluation of launch vehicle configurations… provides a fundamental approach that will be used as MSFC designs the vehicles to explore beyond Low-Earth Orbit.” [4]

After retiring, Jerry moved to Israel, where he currently lives. [5] Sources

[1] “Meet Orthodox Jewish All Star, Jerry Wittenstein, Who Developed Half of Apollo 11’s trajectories”

[2] Gerald Wittenstein LinkedIn Profile

[3] “Announcing Jew in the City’s 6th Class of Orthodox Jewish All Stars!”

[4] UAH Archives Gerald Wittenstein collection – “Don Krupp letter”, Box 4, Folder 5

[5] “NASA physicist Gerald Wittenstein makes aliyah"