March_NP0 20_CRD (_PUL UPI_NP0 )_PUR --_NN1 Glynn_NP0 S._NP0 Lunney_NP0 ,_PUN the_AT0 engineer_NN1 who_PNQ played_VVD a_AT0 key_AJ0 role_NN1 in_PRP NASA_NP0 's_POS early_AJ0 efforts_NN2 to_TO0 launch_VVI astronauts_NN2 into_PRP space_NN1 and_CJC who_PNQ led_VVD Mission_NN1 Control_NN1 through_PRP some_DT0 of_PRF its_DPS most_DT0 crucial_AJ0 missions_NN2 ,_PUN died_VVN after_PRP a_AT0 long_AJ0 illness_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 agency_NN1 confirmed_VVD ._SENT He_PNP was_VBD 84._CRD NASA_NP0 ,_PUN which_DTQ said_VVD Lunney_NP0 died_VVD Friday_NP0 ,_PUN did_VDD n't_XX0 offer_VVI details_NN2 on_PRP his_DPS cause_NN1 of_PRF death_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ Glynn_NP0 was_VBD the_AT0 right_AJ0 person_NN1 for_PRP the_AT0 right_AJ0 time_NN1 in_PRP history_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ Mark_NP0 Geyer_NP0 ,_PUN director_NN1 of_PRF NASA_NP0 's_POS Johnson_NP0 Space_NN1 Center_NN1 in_PRP Houston_NP0 ,_PUN said_VVD in_PRP a_AT0 statement_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ His_DPS unique_AJ0 leadership_NN1 and_CJC remarkably_AV0 quick_AJ0 intellect_NN1 were_VBD critical_AJ0 to_PRP the_AT0 success_NN1 of_PRF some_DT0 of_PRF the_AT0 most_AV0 iconic_AJ0 accomplishments_NN2 in_PRP human_AJ0 spaceflight_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ According_VVG to_PRP NASA_NP0 ,_PUN Lunney_NP0 joined_VVD the_AT0 agency_NN1 in_PRP 1963_CRD ,_PUN becoming_VVG its_DPS fourth_ORD flight_NN1 director_NN1 ._SENT He_PNP led_VVD the_AT0 Mercury_NP0 ,_PUN Gemini_NP0 ,_PUN Apollo_NP0 ,_PUN Skylab_NP0 and_CJC Space_NN1 Shuttle_NN1 programs_NN2 before_PRP retiring_VVG from_PRP the_AT0 agency_NN1 in_PRP 1985_CRD ,_PUN then_AV0 led_VVD human_AJ0 spaceflight_NN1 activities_NN2 in_PRP private_AJ0 industry_NN1 with_PRP Rockwell_NP0 International_AJ0 and_CJC ,_PUN later_AV0 ,_PUN United_NP0 Space_NN1 Alliance_NN1 until_PRP his_DPS retirement_NN1 in_PRP 1995._CRD Lunney_NP0 received_VVD the_AT0 Presidential_AJ0 Medal_NN1 Freedom_NN1 as_PRP part_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 Apollo_NP0 13_CRD Mission_NN1 Operations_NN2 Team_VVB in_PRP recognition_NN1 of_PRF actions_NN2 that_CJT made_VVD it_PNP possible_AJ0 to_TO0 save_VVI three_CRD Apollo_NP0 13_CRD astronauts_NN2 aboard_PRP a_AT0 spacecraft_NN0 that_CJT became_VVD disabled_AJ0 on_PRP the_AT0 way_NN1 to_PRP the_AT0 moon_NN1 on_PRP a_AT0 1970_CRD mission_NN1 ._SENT Under_PRP Lunney_NP0 's_POS guidance_NN1 ,_PUN the_AT0 team_NN1 worked_VVN with_PRP the_AT0 astronauts_NN2 to_TO0 shut_VVI down_AVP the_AT0 command_NN1 module_NN1 systems_NN2 so_AV0 that_CJT the_AT0 lunar_AJ0 module_NN1 could_VM0 be_VBI used_VVN as_PRP a_AT0 lifeboat_NN1 for_PRP the_AT0 crew_NN1 during_PRP the_AT0 journey_NN1 home_NN1 to_PRP Earth_NN1 keeping_VVG the_AT0 crew_NN1 alive_AJ0 and_CJC safe_AJ0 while_CJS NASA_NP0 's_POS teams_NN2 developed_VVD longer-term_AJ0 plans_NN2 for_PRP successful_AJ0 re-entry_NN1 and_CJC splashdown_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ I_PNP felt_VVD that_CJT the_AT0 Black_AJ0 Team_NN1 shift_NN1 immediately_AV0 after_PRP the_AT0 explosion_NN1 and_CJC for_PRP the_AT0 next_ORD 14_CRD hours_NN2 was_VBD the_AT0 best_AJS piece_NN1 of_PRF operations_NN2 work_VVB I_PNP ever_AV0 did_VDD or_CJC could_VM0 hope_VVI to_TO0 do_VDI ,_PUN "_PUQ he_PNP said_VVD later_AV0 ._SENT "_PUQ It_PNP posed_VVD a_AT0 continuous_AJ0 demand_NN1 for_PRP the_AT0 best_AJS decisions_NN2 often_AV0 without_PRP hard_AJ0 data_NN0 and_CJC mostly_AV0 on_PRP the_AT0 basis_NN1 of_PRF judgment_NN1 ,_PUN in_PRP the_AT0 face_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 most_AV0 severe_AJ0 in-flight_AJ0 emergency_NN1 faced_VVD thus_AV0 far_AV0 in_PRP manned_AJ0 space_NN1 flight_NN1 ._SENT There_EX0 might_VM0 have_VHI been_VBN a_AT0 '_PUQ better_AJC '_PUQ solution_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC it_PNP still_AV0 is_VBZ not_XX0 apparent_AJ0 what_DTQ it_PNP would_VM0 be_VBI ._SENT Perhaps_AV0 ,_PUN we_PNP could_VM0 have_VHI been_VBN a_AT0 little_AV0 quicker_AJC at_PRP times_NN2 but_CJC we_PNP were_VBD consciously_AV0 deliberate_AJ0 ._SENT "_PUQ He_PNP also_AV0 played_VVD a_AT0 key_AJ0 role_NN1 in_PRP the_AT0 planning_NN1 and_CJC negotiations_NN2 that_CJT led_VVD to_PRP the_AT0 Apollo-Soyuz_NP0 Test_NN1 Project_NN1 ,_PUN culminating_VVG in_PRP the_AT0 docking_NN1 of_PRF an_AT0 American_AJ0 Apollo_NP0 and_CJC a_AT0 Russian_AJ0 Soyuz_NN1 spacecraft_NN0 in_PRP 1975_CRD and_CJC paving_VVG the_AT0 way_NN1 for_PRP cooperative_AJ0 efforts_NN2 on_PRP the_AT0 International_AJ0 Space_NN1 Station_NN1 ._SENT 
