Chriet Titulaer (Dutch pronunciation:[ˈxri(t)tityˈlaːr]; May 9, 1943 – April 23, 2017) was a Dutch astronomer, television presenter andpopular science and technology writer.
Titulaer was born in theHout-Blerick village inVenlo,Limburg, and went to high school at the St.-Thomascollege in Venlo (now the Valuas College). He studied maths and physics at theUniversity of Utrecht with a major in astronomy. At the university he joined the student association CS Veritas. During his studies he founded (together with Ton Smit) the Venlo chapter of theNederlandse Vereniging voor Weer- en Sterrenkunde (Dutch association for meteorology and astronomy) on April 18, 1965 (since 1990 known as theWeer- en Sterrenkundige Vereniging "Jean Delsing").
The next year he organized the expositionMens en het Heelal (Man and the Universe), then the largest meteorology, astronomy and space travel exposition ever held in the Netherlands.
After having lived and worked in the United States and France (both for two years) he became a presenter of Dutch radio and television programmes about science and technology. Between 1969 and 1990 he was often seen on television. His popularity began as co-presenter of the live transmission of theApollo 11Moon landing (as well as the later Moon landings), together withHenk Terlingen (popularly known as "Apollo Henkie"). The transmission rated at anaudience share of 100%, a feat never again repeated onDutch television.[1] He also was thecommentator for the first launch ofSpace Shuttle Columbia in 1981.
In 1983 Titulaer began his own television production companyChriet Titulaer Producties BV and did much work forTeleac and theTROS. He presented popular science programmes such asWondere Wereld (Miraculous World) and television courses such asModerne Sterrenkunde (Modern Astronomy) andNederland en het Weer (The Netherlands and the Weather).
In 1986 he organized the space travel exhibitionSpace '86 in theJaarbeurs inUtrecht. As a promotion a true to size painting of aSaturn V rocket was put on the side of theDom Tower of Utrecht as both the rocket and the church tower are about 110 metres tall.[2]Titulaer wrote many books about popular science, computers, IT, meteorology and astronomy. He was an active advocate for science and technology and was often asked as a keynote speaker for events related to these areas, and for theme days on schools and universities. His appearances on radio and television became relatively rare.
He founded projects such as the now defunctHuis van de Toekomst (House of the Future),[3]Kantoor van de Toekomst (Office of the Future) and theZiekenhuis van de Toekomst (Hospital of the Future). He also co-initiated the recreation and education park for astronomy and space travelCosmo Science Center inNorth Brabant.
After theApollo program was cancelled in the early 1970s Titulaer visited theRockwell factory and saw one of the unfinishedApollo capsules standing there which had been under construction for one of thecancelled flights at a cost of US$10 million. Jokingly he said he would buy it for $1 and to his surprise the Rockwell representative accepted his offer and held him to the purchase.Martin Schröder, president ofMartinair, who was also there said he would stick it in the back of hisBoeing 747. The capsule didn't fit through the plane's doors so Titulaer had it shipped to the Netherlands. There it stood in the backyard of his house as agarden ornament for many years until a Japanese gentleman rang his doorbell and offered to buy the capsule for 30,000 Dutch guilders, which Titulaer accepted.[1][4]
^Image of the Apollo capsule at Space '86 (The sign says in Dutch: "Original Apollo capsule which was under construction when the project was cancelled. Inside the capsule an authentic chair from an Apollo capsule")
.jpg)
Media related toChriet Titulaer at Wikimedia Commons
