s ▁Category : Inst itute ▁for ▁Advanced ▁Study ▁visit ing ▁sch ol ars ▁Category : Univers ity ▁of ▁Illinois ▁at ▁U rb ana – Ch amp aign ▁al umn i ▁Category : M ass achusetts ▁Institute ▁of ▁Technology ▁fac ulty ▁Category : 1 9 1 4 ▁birth s ▁Category : 1 9 9 5 ▁death s ▁Category : Pe ople ▁from ▁Vir den , ▁Illinois ▁Category : Ge om eters ▁Category : Math emat icians ▁from ▁Illinois <0x0A> </s> ▁Roc co ▁Anthony ▁Pet r one ▁( M arch ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 9 2 6 ▁– ▁August ▁ 2 4 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 ) ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁mechanical ▁engineer , ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁officer ▁and ▁NASA ▁official . ▁He ▁served ▁as ▁director ▁of ▁launch ▁operations ▁at ▁NASA ' s ▁Kennedy ▁Space ▁Center ▁( K SC ) ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁as ▁Apol lo ▁program ▁director ▁at ▁NASA ▁Head quarters ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁as ▁third ▁director ▁of ▁NASA ' s ▁Marshall ▁Space ▁Fl ight ▁Center ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁and ▁as ▁NASA ▁Associ ate ▁Administr ator ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁until ▁his ▁ret irement ▁from ▁NASA ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁The ▁son ▁of ▁Italian ▁imm igr ants , ▁Anthony ▁and ▁Ther esa ▁() ▁Pet r one , ▁em igr ated ▁from