[NASA]

Originally from the personal collection of Dr. George E. Mueller (1918-2015).

A LEADERSHIP AWARD FROM KENNEDY SPACE CENTER TO THE FATHER OF THE MANNED SPACE FLIGHT PROGRAM, DR. GEORGE MUELLER, INCLUDING REPRESENTATIONS OF THE KEY CHAPTERS IN THE HISTORY OF SPACEFLIGHT FROM REDSTONE TO APOLLO.

DR. GEORGE MUELLER is credited with creating and leading the Office of Manned Spaceflight at NASA Headquarters, what is now the Human Operations and Exploration Mission Directorate. Mueller was originally sworn in as Deputy Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight on September 1, 1963, but his title quickly changed to Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight after an internal reorganization and he remained in that role until he left NASA in December 1969, at which time he was presented with this award.

Incorporated into this lot's celebration of Dr. Mueller's leadership are metal models of the key rockets of the era: the early Redstone program, Gemini Titani-II, and Saturn V rockets. The orbit of Apollo 8 around Earth and the Moon is also marked on the presentation, commemorating the significance of Dr. Mueller's work in leading the program through humanity's first visit to the Moon.

Mueller shepherded the agency through the completion of the Apollo program as well as the early development of Skylab and space shuttle projects. One epithet frequently used to describe Dr. Mueller is "the man who put men on the Moon." This desk presentation represents some of the key chapters of that endeavor.