An Oral History

with

Roberto Van Peski

John C. Stennis Space Center

History Project

Interviewer: Daphne Alford

2009
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An Oral History

with

Roberto Van Peski

This is an interview by the Stennis Space Center History Office. The purpose of this 

interview is to document the story of key personnel during the Apollo and the Space 

Shuttle Main Engine programs at Stennis. The interview is with Roberto Van Peski and is 

taking place on June 29, 2009. The interviewer is Daphne Alford.

Roberto Van Peski: My name is Roberto F. Van Peski. I work for Jacobs Technology, 

and I’m a senior associate mechanical engineer. 

Daphne Alford: How did you get in that field—mechanical engineering?

Roberto Van Peski: I just worked into it. I don’t have an engineering degree. I started at 

this test site in 1964, working construction on the S-1C Test Stand, which is referred to as 

the B-1/B-2 or the Dual Position Test Stand B. I started as an iron worker on the concrete 

reinforcement portion of the construction phase and stayed with it through level 11 where 

the steel super structure of the test stand began. I then became a structural iron worker 

and worked through the completion of the B-2 and center pier portions. Working on a 

union permit and with construction work dwindling, I was laid off and lucky enough to 

obtain employment with the General Electric [GE] Co. GE had the initial site contract 

and established operational methods that live on to this day. I began in the spring of 1966 

as a material expediter for the mechanical shop and subsequently moved into the 

mechanical shop as an apprentice. During those early years, we worked on all 

mechanical systems site wide and worked in multi-craft settings. I was laid-off in 

December of 1970 at the end of the Apollo Program. I was called back on July 5, 1972,

to be a part of what was known as the Space Shuttle Reactivation Crew. We reactivated 

all mechanical systems on-site to support the new Space Shuttle Program.

Daphne Alford: What led you here to Stennis?

Roberto Van Peski: It just so happened that I ran into the president of Napoleon Steel 

during the spring of 1964 while doing some part-time work in Bay St. Louis. He asked 

me if I had ever done iron work. I told him I hadn’t, but that I’d love to get into it. The 

following day I was working at this test site. 

Daphne Alford: Where are you from?

Roberto Van Peski: I was born in the little town of Golfito on the Pacific Coast of 

Costa Rica. My father worked for the United Fruit Company, the Chiquita brand banana 

company. He met my mother in the Republic of Panama. I spent my first 15 years of life 
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in four different Central American nations—Costa Rica [nine years], Guatemala [four

years], Honduras [two years]—and we visited family frequently in Panama. I came to St. 

Stanislaus High School in Bay St. Louis, where I was a boarder. I joined the United 

States Army in February 1960 and was honorably discharged in 1963. I spent the last 11

months of military service with the 82nd Airborne Division in Fort Bragg, N.C. I became 

a naturalized citizen of the United States of America on Sept. 3, 1964.

Daphne Alford: How was it working for the Apollo Program? What was it like?

Roberto Van Peski: It was very intense, of course, all of the systems were new and we 

had to take all the kinks out of them. The mechanical systems worked quite well in 

support of the test program. It was a real pleasure to work at this test site during that time 

period because it was part of a national goal to set a man on the moon. 

Daphne Alford: So you had a lot of deadlines to meet?

Roberto Van Peski: Yes, we did. The objective has always been to meet test dates. If 

there was a scheduled test, we had to make sure that all mechanical systems were 

operational and ready to support that particular test. That became a critical item. 

Daphne Alford: What was your role during the Apollo Program?

Roberto Van Peski: I was a low-level mechanic, having started as an apprentice. 

During that time, I was also attending night school at Jeff Davis Junior College. My

studies combined with the aid provided by helpful craftsmen and engineers enabled me to 

learn the intricacies of the mechanical systems on-site. 

Daphne Alford: Did the on-the-job training help you with your education? 

Roberto Van Peski: Oh, yes, it sure did! I quickly made the connection that existed 

between college subjects and the mechanical work I performed. With two semesters of 

English grammar and an additional two semesters of English literature behind me, I 

became quite good at writing; this alone has been a great aid in the preparation of written 

procedures and in providing written instructions on work documents for technicians. 

Daphne Alford: What did you do during the beginning of the Space Shuttle Program?

Roberto Van Peski: I began as an employee of Global Associates, the company that had 

been awarded the site contract during that time period. We brought all systems online that 

were previously used in the Apollo Program and improved on them to support the Space 

Shuttle Program. The generators and the pumps at that high-pressure industrial water 

[HPIW] plant were reworked and the compressors at the High-Pressure Gas Facility were 

refurbished. All pneumatic, cryogenic and hydraulic systems were upgraded. 

Once Rockwell International, Space Division began operations on the B-2 Test Stand, I 

was hired as a mechanical technician in support the Main Propulsion Test Article
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[MPTA]. I subsequently joined the Rocketdyne Division in the A-Test Complex as a 

propulsion test mechanic in support of the SSME [space shuttle main engine] singleengine test program. I remained employed with Rocketdyne until late 1986 when I was 

fired. I was immediately called back to work with Pan Am World Services as an 

associate engineer working on the test facilities. I was deeply involved in the 

modifications that prepared the B-1 Test Stand for SSME single engine testing.

Daphne Alford: Do you enjoy your work? 

Roberto Van Peski: I sure do. I’m now 68 years of age and I may work another year or 

two, God willing. Although I’m ready to retire, I also enjoy working in the A/B Test 

Complex. Through my work, I have developed wonderful relationships with many 

professional and craft personnel and all this has enriched my life greatly. I’m looking 

forward to the A-3 Test Stand, of course. 

Daphne Alford: So you have worked at all the test stands?

Roberto Van Peski: Oh yes, A-1, A-2, B-1 and B-2 supporting the Apollo and the space 

shuttle test programs, and today supporting the RS-68 test program on the B-1 Test 

Stand.

Daphne Alford: Has this been a challenging career for you?

Roberto Van Peski: Working at Stennis Space Center [SSC] has been challenging, 

exciting and rewarding. I have become intimately familiar with complex mechanical 

systems. When considering that I have walked every foot of the high-pressure industrial 

piping distribution system, entered every cryogenic propellant vessel, and stood on top of 

every derrick mast, I marvel at the opportunities I have been given and am so grateful for 

all this of which I have been a part. 

Daphne Alford: What are you doing now with the transition to the Constellation 

Program?

Roberto Van Peski: We continue supporting the RS-68 test program on the B-1 Test 

Stand. On the B-2 Test Stand, we are in the process of installing refurbished water supply 

valves in the deflector valve gallery, no small feat when one considers that each main 

valve weighs 6 tons. The A-1 Test Stand modifications continue at a brisk pace. The A2 Test Stand is being mothballed. We now have a good opportunity to upgrade or replace 

old mechanical systems in preparation for future test programs. 

Daphne Alford: What was your first impression of the test site? When you first came 

here, what did you think?

Roberto Van Peski: When I first started out here, this was just a big muddy mess. My 

place of work was the dual position Test Stand B. It was a big hole in the ground. If I’m 

not mistaken, it was 90 feet deep. It looked like it was deeper than that. One of the 
5

biggest challenges was keeping water out of the bottom of the pit while pile driving was 

in progress. Water pumps were operated around the clock. When I began, the last of the 

pilings were being driven into the ground. The foundation of the B Test Stand started out 

with the placement of re-enforcement steel on top of the pilings. Initially, No. 18 rods –

31⁄2” diameter steel rods – some 21 feet long were used. Mats were formed with the steel 

rods, and stacked on one top of the other. While we were building ever upward with the 

steel rods, carpenters were building forms around the perimeter to receive the concrete 

pours. This process continued until the last of the concrete was poured through level 11. 

Daphne Alford: About how many people were involved in this project?

Roberto Van Peski: There were a lot of people, and many companies involved. I do 

not know the exact number of people, but it would be safe to say there were some 2000 

workers on the test site at the height of the construction period. 

Daphne Alford: Is there any significant event out here that you vividly can remember 

and talk about?

Roberto Van Peski: There are many significant events that come to mind; however, the 

most significant has to be the first rocket motor test. I was employed by General Electric 

Co. at the time, and I worked overnight in a support capacity as an expediter. I didn’t see 

the test from my work station in Building 2201; I just heard it and could see the fiery 

discharge lighting up the sky.

Daphne Alford: Can you describe it?

Roberto Van Peski: It was more like a fiery eruption, sounding like a giant freight train 

at the outset and then intensifying into a mighty roar. The reverberations were felt 

through the air. The ground was shaking beneath my feet. The bright flames seemed to 

be pouring into the sky above, and were intermittently subdued by the embrace of vapor 

clouds that were continuously building and climbing ever higher. The effect was an 

intense flickering of bright light as the vapor clouds engulfed the flames and then relented 

and moved on.

Daphne Alford: How long did that last?

Roberto Van Peski: To tell you the truth, I don’t remember. It was not a significantly 

long test, but it was impressive. One of the problems that we discovered during this time 

period is that depending upon the cloud cover, the sound waves [acoustic energy] created 

by the rocket engines could be destructive. As I understand the problem, a low cloud 

cover will trap the sound waves between the ground and the clouds; as a result the noise 

created cannot dissipate into the upper atmosphere, and the acoustic energy intensifies 

and travels farther. Early on I heard stories of glass windows shattering in homes and 

businesses as far away as Picayune and Bay St. Louis. I can remember hearing the tests 

in Bay St. Louis and seeing the windows rattle. The damage created by the engine tests 

led to the installation of the acoustic sounding horn. Similar to a fog horn, the unit on-
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site is mounted on a tower and rotates 360o. Prior to a rocket motor test, personnel would 

energize the horn and monitor the acoustic energy emitted over a measured distance to 

ensure that the planned test could be conducted safely. 

Daphne Alford: What was the name of the site when you started?

Roberto Van Peski: When I first started out here, it was MTO, Mississippi Test 

Operations I believe. Then it became MTF, if I’m not mistaken, Mississippi Test Facility. 

In later years, the name was changed to National Space Technology Laboratories and 

later on it was dedicated to Senator Stennis and became known as John C. Stennis Space 

Center. 

Daphne Alford: Did you ever meet Senator Stennis?

Roberto Van Peski: Never did, I sure didn’t.

Daphne Alford: Tell me a little more about what’s going on now?

Roberto Van Peski: What we have going on right now is the end of the Space Shuttle 

Program. We’re getting ready for the next generation of rocket motors. The A-3 Test 

Stand is under construction, and the A-1 Test Stand is being refurbished at this time. 

There’s some preliminary work going on at the B-2 side and the RS-68 engine testing 

continues on the B-1 Test Stand. 

Daphne Alford: Are you excited about the future?

Roberto Van Peski: Why sure I’m excited, especially for the people who are out here 

and who will carry on a tradition of excellence in rocket motor testing. I probably will not 

be a part of it, but I look forward to coming out here and observing activities. I do have a 

keen interest in what the future holds.

Daphne Alford: How does it feel to be a part of the Apollo Program, the Space Shuttle 

Program and now the Constellation Program? You’ve been through three different 

programs.

Roberto Van Peski: I feel like I’ve really been blessed by God. I’ve been able to 

contribute because I have become so familiar with all of the systems. I’ve been rewarded 

well for my contributions, and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve educated two daughters. My 

younger one is an electrical engineer, working for Lockheed Corporation in California. 

My other daughter is director of retail sales for a large corporation. I couldn’t be happier. 

I’m in good enough health, I believe, to continue going for a while. That is one thing this 

job does require – that one have stamina – especially good health to climb high elevations 

or to go down into confined spaces. Personnel are required to maintain a certain number 

of certifications. From time to time, personnel are trained in the use of special safety 

equipment required for a specific task. For example, personnel were certified in the use 

of the self-contained breathing apparatus [SCBA] to conduct the internal inspections of 
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the underground high-pressure industrial water distribution system [66”, 75” & 96” 

piping], amounting to approximately 8,150 linear feet of piping. 

Daphne Alford: What is a typical day like for you?

Roberto Van Peski: I come in early in the morning. I find out what’s happened; where 

we are with all our systems; what the test schedule is; and we’re always ensuring that all 

our mechanical systems are ready to support the next scheduled test, regardless which test 

stand it may be. At this time, we are in the process of removing and replacing a highpressure industrial water valve at the B-1. Unfortunately, the B-1 has delayed testing. 

Had it not been for that, we would have worked this past weekend to get that valve ready 

to support this test. At SSC there is always a challenge. For example, removal and 

replacement of the B-1 horizontally oriented valve requires installation of a 6-ton trolley 

& chain hoist. As was our luck on this particular task, the chain hoist malfunctioned 

under load. Mechanical devices will break down; as a result, there must always be an

alternate plan to get work done, and we have become very adept at doing just that. 

Daphne Alford: How large is your department?

Roberto Van Peski: There are some 10 engineers and six lead technicians assigned to 

Unit 7013. 

Daphne Alford: Your world has always been around test stands. How do you look at 

Stennis from that angle? 

Roberto Van Peski: We have a critical need for support organizations. We work very 

closely with the component engineers in the Fluid Component Shop because they 

purchase and repair our valves. They also ensure that the components we use are suitable 

for a particular application. Warehouse and logistics personnel are invaluable in 

providing needed material and in locating alternate items suitable for our needs in the 

field. The laboratory personnel in the gas analysis lab and the measurement standards 

and calibration lab are critical to our operations. All gas samples are analyzed in the 

laboratory and sensitive equipment needed for our activities are calibrated by lab 

personnel. We depend greatly on the machine, plumbing, heavy equipment and weld 

shops. There’s a great relationship between the mechanical/electrical group and the 

professional and craft personnel in the different support organizations. These are 

wonderful people who enable us to maintain test support systems.

Daphne Alford: Any interesting well-known people you have met?

Roberto Van Peski: My work at Stennis Space Center has not brought me in personal 

contact with any of the well-known aerospace personalities. Having said that, there are 

some remarkable professional engineers for whom or with whom I have worked closely: 

Messrs. Steve Dick, Patrick Mooney, Doug McLaughlin are retired NASA engineers who 

were great mentors. Mr. Al Busche, retired, became a legend at SSC as a field engineer. 

Mr. Greg Ames, deceased, was recognized as one of the most outstanding field engineers 
8

and a surveyor without equal. Mr. Rick Ross has provided invaluable assistance in 

solving metallurgical problems, in analyzing gas problems and conducting failure 

analyses. Mr. Duane “Duke” Donner, current lead of the Component Engineering Group 

and Mr. Bryant Quave, retired, are individuals who have contributed much to the 

development of our fluid flow systems. 

I would be remiss if I were to leave out Mr. Don Pellow, a registered professional 

engineer of Pellow Engineering Services, author, professional speaker and patent holder 

of rotation-resistant wire rope. Don personally laid out the plan for the restoration of the 

main derrick on the B-Test Stand after it had been two-blocked. With Don’s assistance 

we were able to follow up on a botched cable replacement job performed by construction 

contractors and successfully replaced all the wire rope on the derrick using our own 

mechanical technicians. Mr. Pellow later returned to SSC and provided rigging 

certification training to SSC personnel. Don’s rigging manuals are used today by SSC 

personnel. 

There are many other outstanding individuals worthy of mention, but space and time 

constraints force me to leave them out. 

Daphne Alford: Is there anything you would like to do or accomplish while you are 

here in the mechanical engineering area? 

Roberto Van Peski: I would like to see an upgrade [to] our HPIW piping system and 

the procurement of new valves. During the Apollo Program and the early days of space 

shuttle testing, the high-pressure industrial water was obtained from the underground 

aquifer. A rocket motor test consumes between 7 and 12 million gallons of water. This 

was not an environmentally sound way of doing business because the underground 

aquifer was being depleted. High-pressure industrial water is now pumped out of the 

canal. The environmental problem was resolved but the canal water – described as 

brackish – created a serious corrosion problem in the carbon steel piping. Piping failures 

in the form of ruptures have become common place. Funding has been made available 

for the purchase of some new water valves and it appears as if funding will be provided 

for new piping in the near future.

Daphne Alford: What do you foresee for Stennis for the future?

Roberto Van Peski: I think the future, from what I’ve heard, looks bright, especially 

with what NASA has planned for future space exploration. What Dr. von Braun said 

decades ago holds true today: “It doesn’t make any difference where you go in space, 

whether it be to the moon or beyond, you first must come through Mississippi.”

Daphne Alford: We have talked about the past, present and future, is there anything I 

didn’t ask you can think of that you would like to talk about?

Roberto Van Peski: Not really. You have done a good job in covering everything; 

unless you have additional questions, I think we are done. 
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Daphne Alford: You did well.

(End of Interview)