In 2025, Compton Woodley Airport paid tribute to Hildreth “Hal” Walker Jr., a distinguished laser scientist and space technology pioneer, during its Air and Space Fair. The airport presented a Legacy Award recognizing Walker’s remarkable contributions to science, particularly his groundbreaking work in laser technology and space exploration. URBT News
Walker is best known for leading the team that successfully fired the KORAD-1500 ruby laser at the Moon during the Apollo 11 mission in 1969, a pivotal experiment that helped measure the precise distance between Earth and the Moon using reflectors left by astronauts. Black Past
Though he passed away in 2024, Walker’s legacy continues through his impact on science and his efforts to inspire future generations. His family, including his grandson Justin Walker, attended the ceremony to accept the honor on his behalf. URBT News
The recognition at Compton Airport highlights both Walker’s scientific achievements and the broader inspiration he provides to those who dream of careers in aviation, space, and STEM fields. URBT News
Hildreth Hal Walker Jr. did not design or build the Apollo lunar laser retroreflectors themselves, but he made a critical enabling contribution to the experiment that used them.
The Apollo retroreflector arrays (Apollo 11, 14, 15) were designed and built by academic and NASA teams
Astronauts placed them on the Moon
The experiment: fire a powerful laser from Earth → reflect → detect the return
This allowed:
Precise Earth–Moon distance measurement
Tests of general relativity
Long-term monitoring of lunar motion
Hildreth Walker Jr.’s role
Walker led the team that successfully fired a high-power ruby laser at the Moon shortly after Apollo 11.
Specifically, he:
Worked with the KORAD-1500 ruby laser, one of the most powerful lasers of the era
Helped demonstrate that laser ranging to the Moon was operationally possible
Enabled early Earth-based laser transmission needed to exploit the reflectors
In short:
The mirrors made the measurement possible.
Walker’s laser made the measurement real.
