THE engineer who saved the crisis-torn Apollo mission to the moon spoke about his dramatic rescue in Runcorn.

Retired NASA flight controller Sy Liebergot visited the Grange School as part of a visit to the north of England.

He told 150 astronomy and science students what happened when the an explosion in an oxygen tank crippled the spacecraft, putting three astronauts in grave danger.

He explained how he managed to bring them 200,000 miles safely back to earth.

Students quizzed Sy on whether man will ever walk on another planet, how to get a job with NASA and whether Star Wars or Star Trek is the better film franchise.

Year 11 Astronomy student Georgia-Bleu Williams said “My ambition is now to be the first person on Mars.”