National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration

Volume 38, Number 4 Fourth Quarter 2021

NASA HISTORY DIVISION

OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

IN THIS ISSUE:

1 From the Acting Chief Historian

1 Historically Unique Capability: 

The Marshall X-ray and 

Cryogenics Facility 

4 News from Headquarters and 

the Centers

10 Two NASA Armstrong Employees 

Recall Building Time Capsule

12 NASA and the Blackbird Project

17 In Memoriam

20 Upcoming Meetings

21 Other Aerospace History News

23 Image in NASA History

FROM THE 

ACTING 

CHIEF 

HISTORIAN

Th e ye a r 2 0 2 1 was eventful for 

NASA. From the landing of the Perseverance 

Rover on Mars on 18 February to the launch 

of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) 

on 25 December, the 12 months of 2021 were 

some of the most memorable in the Agency’s 

history. The year also included Ingenuity’s 

powered flight on Mars and the launches of 

Lucy, the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer 

(IXPE), the Double Asteroid Redirection Test 

(DART), and Landsat 9, just to name a few. 

It was also a big year for the International 

Space Station—13 spacewalks (the most since 

2010), the return of the SpaceX Crew-1 mission, and the completion of the 21st straight 

year of crew on orbit. The year also saw continued progress on programs including the 

Space Launch System (SLS), the X-59 Quiet 

Supersonic Technology, and the X-57 Maxwell 

All-Electric Aircraft. And those are just some 

of the highlights. 

On the other end of the spectrum, 2021 saw 

the continuation of COVID-19, as remote 

work continued in the face of the international 

pandemic. The prolonged closure of archival 

collections, both at NASA and across the 

country, limited the amount of new research 

conducted—a minor inconvenience when 

one considers the real impacts the pandemic 

has wrought in terms of those we’ve lost along 

the way. Incredible feats of engineering and 

continued on next page

HISTORICALLY UNIQUE CAPABILITY: THE 

MARSHALL X-RAY AND CRYOGENICS FACILITY 

By Brian Odom

Most everything about the world of high-energy astrophysics is difficult. 

The math is complex; the margin between 

risk and failure is narrow; and, once the 

experiment leaves the launchpad, there is 

little chance of fixing a problem. The fact 

that our atmosphere absorbs most x rays 

is good for us but bad for testing experiments designed to detect them. Luckily, 

Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) 

developed a solution.

Originally completed in 1976 for testing the x-ray mirrors for the Einstein 

Observatory (HEAO-2), the X-ray and 

Cryogenics Facility (XRCF) is a critical 

and storied pillar of Marshall’s infrastructure. Back in 1976, NASA needed a way 

to recreate the environment x-ray experiments would find once in orbit to test 

the grazing incidence mirrors. From the 

outside, the most notable thing about the facility is the 1,700-foot guide tube 

through which the simulated x-ray sources travel to the main building and the 

instrument chamber clean room. 

As the facility evolved over the decades, it left an imprint on many NASA 

programs. Numerous rounds of important testing were conducted during the 

development of the Chandra X-ray Observatory in the late 1980s and 1990s. 

continued on page 3
2

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

scientific breakthroughs are seemingly balanced with 

tragedy and loss. 

For the NASA History program, 2021 was also a year 

of major organizational transformation. The years 

since 2018 saw an ebb and flow of the NASA Mission 

Support Directorate’s Mission Support Future 

Architecture Program (MAP) effort. With a goal of 

creating a more “enterprise” operating model vs. the 

older decentralized approach, the core philosophical 

positives of the effort were at times lost within the 

labyrinth of bureaucratic implacability. 

THIS MODEL WILL ALLOW 

FOR A MORE INTEGRATED 

APPROACH TO RESEARCH AND 

A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH 

TO PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS, 

EXTERNAL RESEARCHERS, 

AND FUNCTIONAL COHERENCY 

IN AREAS LIKE PUBLICATIONS 

AND ORAL HISTORIES. 

As we move forward in 2022, hope springs eternal. 

After many years of strategic plotting, collaborative 

efforts, and passionate appeals, the History program 

is on the cusp of something new. On the history side 

of the house, we have developed a model that moves 

from a decentralized structure to a thematic model 

aligned not by region or Center, but by the work of 

the Agency across the Mission Directorates (Human 

Spaceflight/Operations, Science, Aeronautics, and 

Space Technology). This model will allow for a more 

integrated approach to research and a collaborative 

approach to public communications, external 

researchers, and functional coherency in areas like 

publications and oral histories. 

The new model also highlights the critical importance 

of archival collections by following a similar path 

of integration across the Agency with collaborative 

tools—tools that are already in place at the Goddard 

Space Flight Center Archives and under development 

for expansion across the Agency. This approach will 

enable Agency archivists to succeed in their primary 

role—the preservation of historical material and institutional memory created by NASA to enable longterm access to NASA’s history. 

By taking these steps, we will ensure that both internal 

and external researchers, from scientists and engineers 

to academics and the public, will be able to learn about 

our history not just now, but for years to come. And 

with years like the one we just had, I can’t imagine 

there will be any shortage of major scientific and 

engineering breakthroughs anytime soon. The year 

2022 will see the Artemis I and Psyche launches, lots 

of international and commercial space activity, and 

scientific returns from JWST. With continued support 

from the Agency and our external stakeholders, the 

History program will be there to document every step 

of the way. 

Brian C. Odom

Acting Chief Historian

From the Acting Chief Historian (continued)
3

Volume 38, Number 4 Fourth Quarter 2021

Historically Unique Capability: The Marshall X-ray and Cryogenics Facility (continued)

That testing proved critical to the success of that mission, which continues 

to produce incredible science. In 2002, 

the XRCF hosted testing of the Solar 

X-ray Imager (SXI) for the GOES-12 

satellite, and, in 2005, it tested the 

critically important x-ray telescope 

for Hinode—a mission developed to 

explore the solar magnetic fields and 

the forces that drive the dynamic forces 

of the solar atmosphere. Without the 

XRCF, mitigating many of the risks 

associated with those revolutionary 

missions would have proved impossible. 

Several modifications over its 45-year 

history allow the XRCF to continue to 

play a vital role in proving out experimental space hardware. One of the 

more recent missions to go through 

the XRCF was the James Webb Space 

Telescope (JWST). From 2008 to 2011, 

the facility’s 7,600-cubic-foot heliumcooled vacuum chamber was used for 

verification of several components of 

the observatory, including chilling the 

JWST mirrors (down to –414°F) and 

testing the structural stability of the 

primary mirror segment assemblies and 

backplane support structure.

As new missions come and go, this 

Marshall facility stands ready to test 

x-ray optics, detectors, and telescopes 

or perform mission-critical technology 

readiness demonstrations. Whether the 

goal of a mission is exploring the Sun 

or looking back to the early formation 

of the universe, the important work 

conducted in the XRCF ensures these 

missions will be prepared for the harsh 

environments they encounter in space.

In 1977, testing occurred in the XRCF for the Einstein Observatory (HEAO-2). This image is of 

engineers evaluating the observatory in the X-ray and Cryogenic Facility clean room. (Photo 

credit: NASA)

Six gold-coated beryllium primary mirror segments in their test positions in the cryo vacuum 

chamber at the X-ray and Cryogenic Facility. (Photo credit: NASA/MSFC/David Higginbotham)
4

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

NEWS FROM HEADQUARTERS AND THE CENTERS

AMES RESEARCH CENTER (ARC)

Moffett Field, California

By April Gage and James Anderson

On 12 November, the NASA Experience opened at Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, 

California. The opening was the result of months of 

hard work and coordination from multiple organizations across Ames. An immersive and dynamic exhibit, 

the NASA Experience also serves as a new visitor center for Ames, providing greater visibility and access to 

the public in the San Francisco Bay Area.

In addition to showcasing the breadth of the work 

done across the divisions at Ames, many artifacts 

spanning our 82-year history are on display, including 

hardware, models, and spacesuits. We offer a hearty 

congratulations in particular to Cara Dodge, our 

Center Exhibits Manager, for successfully coordinating so much of this effort.

Our team’s achievements these past few months have 

also been tempered with some profound sadness. 

In June, we lost our colleague and friend Danielle 

Carmichael. Danielle joined the Office of Education 

at Ames in 2014 and, after joining the Office of 

Communications, coordinated the Speakers Bureau. 

This role connected her to even more people and 

groups across the Center and the Agency. The outpouring of support and tributes to her in the wake 

of her passing are a testament to how beloved and 

valued she was. Her dedication and effervescent spirit 

touched the lives of many people, and we are fortunate that she was our colleague.

Another dear colleague, Lynn Albaugh, passed away in 

early September, after more than 48 years as the photograph archivist at Ames. In addition to her expertise and deep knowledge of Ames and its history, she 

almost singlehandedly ensured that our Ames family 

actually felt like a family. Like clockwork, she organized the potlucks and get-togethers that provided 

such a significant amount of the social glue that has 

connected and strengthened our team over the years. 

Anyone who worked with her in person would have 

experienced immediately the inviting space that she 

created. She continued to bring this care and compassion (and her no-nonsense demeanor) to our team 

even over the videoconferencing that has defined so 

much of our work since early 2020.

IN ADDITION TO HER EXPERTISE AND DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF 

AMES AND ITS HISTORY, SHE 

ALMOST SINGLEHANDEDLY ENSURED THAT OUR AMES FAMILY 

ACTUALLY FELT LIKE A FAMILY.

While the past almost two years have presented many 

challenges and tragedies for families and colleagues, 

our work continues and there are still other achievements to celebrate. In August, we welcomed two history interns in the Office of Communications who 

supported the ongoing work for the planned history 

of the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover 

(VIPER), a lunar rover mission that Ames is leading. 

Chelsea Wells, a recent graduate of the University of 

Virginia who majored in foreign affairs and previously interned for NASA’s Office of International and 

Interagency Relations, and Emma Kimble, a history 

major at Eastern Michigan University, contributed 

important groundwork that gave them each additional experience sifting through dense and extensive 

documentation to help contextualize some of VIPER’s 

instrument development. In addition to collecting 

and refining material for appendices, including various thematic timelines, both drafted alternative text 

for key imagery in support of a goal to increase the 
5

Volume 38, Number 4 Fourth Quarter 2021

accessibility of the e-book version of the upcoming history. They presented their work internally in 

December at the conclusion of the semester, and we 

wish them continued success in their future endeavors!

ARMSTRONG FLIGHT RESEARCH 

CENTER (AFRC)

Edwards Air Force Base, California

By Christian Gelzer

We completed the print and electronic versions of 

the Center’s coffee table book, Flights of Discovery, to 

coincide with the Center’s 75th anniversary this year. 

This is the second revision of the book that originally 

appeared in 1996, created for the Center’s 50th anniversary. As with the previous revision, this edition 

has a new chapter at the end covering the work done 

since 2006. Because of the jump in printing costs, the 

Center acquired a relatively small number, and they are 

expected to be available only within the Center, and 

not for wide distribution. To still make it available to 

those who want copies, we have created two electronic 

versions: a PDF e-book and an interactive e-book, 

and the latter should be available as this reaches you. 

Unlike existing e-books, the interactive version has 

www.nasa.gov

NEW NASA HISTORY DIVISION

National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration

 from the

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES

	 50 YEARS OF

SOLARSYSTEM

EXPLORATION

PRINTED COPIES are available free from the

NASA Headquarters Information Center.

Email: info-center@hq.nasa.gov

Phone: 202-358-0000

300 E St. SW, Suite 1U72, Washington, DC 20546

Get your copy of the NASA History Division’s 

newest release, 50 Years of Solar System 

Exploration: Historical Perspectives. In this 

volume, a diverse array of scholars addresses 

the science, technology, policy, and politics of 

planetary exploration since the one that started 

it all: the first Mariner 2 mission to Venus in 1962. 

The essays in this volume delve into the most 

important projects, decisions, and milestones of 

the past half-century. Topics include the ongoing 

saga of Mars sample return, a mystery brought 

back from the Moon, and popular culture’s 

fascination with “killer asteroids” and the effect is 

has had on public policy.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE E-BOOK

http://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/

50-years-of-solar-system-exploration.html
6

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

hyperlinks to videos. In 2019, AFRC entered into 

a Space Act Agreement with Purdue University so 

that a group of senior undergraduates majoring in 

game development could tackle the creation of the 

interactive version. The four students completed the 

first draft just before graduating. Because it was not 

yet complete, the Center hired the lead student, Chris 

Hollopeter, for six months to complete the book. 

There is also an audio version of the book that should 

be available by early 2022, recorded by Ted Huetter, 

formerly of AFRC and now at the Seattle Museum 

of Flight. 

BECAUSE OF THE ONGOING 

PANDEMIC AND THE MAJORITY 

OF THE CENTER’S WORK BEING 

DONE OFFSITE, AFRC OPTED 

TO CELEBRATE ITS 75TH 

ANNIVERSARY OVER AN ENTIRE 

YEAR, RATHER THAN IN ONE 

FELL SWOOP. 

Because of the ongoing pandemic and the majority 

of the Center’s work being done offsite, AFRC opted 

to celebrate its 75th anniversary over an entire year, 

rather than in one fell swoop. One of the first things 

we did to start the celebration was open a time capsule, sealed in 1996 and stashed in the cockpit of the 

X-1E, tail number 6063. The accompanying article 

by Jay Levine, editor of the X-Press, has details of the 

capsule’s contents. Each month the Center is releasing 

a themed video about AFRC’s work, found on the 

Center’s social media platforms.

Christian Gelzer’s current book, The Enigma of the 

Bell Spanload: Prandtl, Horten, Jones, Bowers, and 

the Natural Way to Fly, is in peer review. The book 

is a history of the Center’s Primary Research on 

AerodyNamic Design To Lower Drag (PRANDTL-D) 

project. Ludwig Prandtl and his students developed 

the standard tool for designing wings, dubbed the 

elliptical spanload, in 1918. Because it led to the most 

efficient wing possible, it remains the standard design 

tool even today. In 1933, Prandtl published an alternate spanload design that was 11.5 times more efficient 

than the elliptical. Fellow German Reimar Horten 

independently arrived at a very similar spanloading 

concept in 1935, although he found control in his 

design, not efficiency. Horten, of course, is known for 

a family of all-flying wings, a design that has inherent 

control problems because it lacks a vertical stabilizer. 

Despite working on this design for decades, Horten 

published only one article about his efforts, and it 

was thin on details. AFRC aero engineer Al Bowers 

wanted to validate the control aspect of the alternate 

spanload (the wing’s efficiency gains are self-evident in 

the design). He relied principally on student interns 

since he had no direct funding from either the Center 

or ARMD. The project flew 4 large radio-controlled 

aircraft with instrumentation and 18 small aircraft, 

some also with instrumentation, to validate Horten’s 

contention that his “bell” spanload generated thrust 

at the wingtips instead of adverse yaw. In 2013, the 

project validated Horten’s assertion. Because of its 

greater efficiency and control potential, the spanload 

could dramatically reduce aircraft operation costs. The 

enigma is that between 1933 and 1973 there was only 

one citation of his paper. There were two more in 

1973 and 1975, but nothing came of it even then. 

The alternate spanload is virtually unknown today. 

One well-known German aeronautics professor (a 

Prandtl student once removed) considers it a fraud. 

It remained almost entirely ignored for more than 

60 years, and its gradual socialization only came as 

a result of Bowers’s tireless proselytizing for it. Even 

now, skeptics abound—within and without NASA. 

This project was the first to explore the concept with 

an actual aircraft.

Meanwhile, Gelzer is finishing the research for the draft 

of a history of the Controlled Impact Demonstration 

(CID) the Center flew in 1984. It was Curtis Peebles’s 

last book project. CID (often referred to by Center 

personnel as the “Crash In the Desert”) was a project 
7

Volume 38, Number 4 Fourth Quarter 2021

sponsored by the Federal Aviation Administration 

(FAA) to demonstrate an anti-misting additive to jet 

fuel that was expected to reduce port-crash fires in 

airliners. After four years of engineering and modification to a Boeing 720 (a long-range version of the 707) 

provided by the FAA, the plane was flown via radio 

control on a short flight from the base’s main runway 

to an intentional crash on the lakebed at Edwards 

Air Force Base (AFB). Rather than no post-crash fire, 

on impact the aircraft erupted in flames that took 

multiple refills by the base fire trucks to extinguish. 

The FAA, which had planned to issue a requirement 

later that same month requiring U.S. airliners to begin 

modifying their aircraft to use the additive, quietly 

erased it from its memory. But the aircraft carried a 

variety of other experiments on board, some of which 

transferred to commercial airlines we fly on today. 

Post-crash fires, once a serious problem, happen rarely 

today, and there is no push for any fuel additive to 

eliminate them. 

Al Bowers (far right) and student interns pose with the last Prandtl-D wing variant on Rosamond Dry Lake at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB). (Photo credit: 

Christian Gelzer)

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER (JSC)

Houston, Texas

By John Uri

Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston and the 

White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico, 

continue to operate at Stage 2 of NASA’s COVID 

response framework, with the Center occupancy 

cap raised to 50% on 15 November 2021. The JSC 

History Office continues to operate in a hybrid manner, with John Uri, Jennifer Ross-Nazzal, and Sandra 

Johnson dividing their time between onsite work and 

telework as activities demand.

We are happy to announce the publication of Jennifer 

Ross-Nazzal’s book Making Space for Women: Stories 

from Trailblazing Women of NASA’s Johnson Space 

Center by the Texas A&M University Press! The book 

explores how careers for women at JSC have changed 

over the years, as told by the women themselves 

through oral histories conducted by the JSC History 
8

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

Office. Just before the holidays, Jennifer spoke about her book to 

an audience in Space Center Houston’s Mission Briefing Room. 

Steve Garber of NASA Headquarters nominated the book for 

the Organization of American Historians Mary Nickliss Prize 

in U.S. Women’s and/or Gender History, and Texas A&M is 

working to nominate the book for the Society for History in the 

Federal Government member award. Interest in the subject is 

growing. The JSC 60th Anniversary Celebrations Team invited 

Jennifer to participate in a panel discussion, along with some of 

the individuals included in the book, for an anniversary event, 

and JSC’s Women Excelling in Life & Leadership Employee 

Resource Group also requested that she speak for Women’s 

History Month in March 2022.

Cover of Making Space for Women. (Image credit: Texas A&M 

University Press) 

Jennifer Ross-Nazzal speaking at Space Center Houston about her book. (Photo credit: John Uri)

Sandra and Jennifer continue to conduct oral history interviews 

both in person, with appropriate safety protocols in place, and 

in the Microsoft Teams environment. Jennifer continued a series 

of interviews with astronaut Shannon Lucid covering her entire 

career. Sandra has conducted interviews as part of a project 

initiated by the acting NASA Chief Historian to interview key 

senior staff under former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine. 

These included former and current Associate Administrator for 
9

Volume 38, Number 4 Fourth Quarter 2021

Human Exploration and Operations Bill Gerstenmaier 

and Kathy Lueders, respectively; former Associate 

Administrator Steve Jurczyk; former Deputy Associate 

Administrator Melanie Saunders; and Administrator 

Bridenstine’s Chief of Staff, Gabe Sherman. Jennifer 

and Sandra continue to process transcripts from 

already-completed interviews to add them to the JSC 

History Portal throughout the year.

The JSC History Office has begun participating in a 

joint oral history project with historian Erik Conway 

at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to capture the history 

of NASA’s Discovery Program in anticipation of its 

30th anniversary. After completing preparatory work, 

Sandra has scheduled the first interviews to begin in 

January 2022.

THE JSC HISTORY OFFICE HAS 

BEGUN PARTICIPATING IN A 

JOINT ORAL HISTORY PROJECT 

WITH HISTORIAN ERIK CONWAY 

AT THE JET PROPULSION 

LABORATORY TO CAPTURE 

THE HISTORY OF NASA’S 

DISCOVERY PROGRAM....

The JSC History Office was involved in several outreach activities. Jennifer gave a virtual talk entitled 

“Eisenhower and the Space Program” at the Eisenhower 

Presidential Library, Museum & Boyhood Home in 

Abilene, Kansas. In addition to the talk, Jennifer promoted the event on several local radio shows and a 

podcast. She also contributed to a Nichelle Nichols 

tribute video. NASA hired Nichols, who played Lt. 

Uhura in the original television series Star Trek, to 

encourage women and minorities to apply for NASA’s 

first Space Shuttle astronaut class. John participated 

in a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA) session about 

the Moonikin radiation mannequin flying aboard 

the Artemis 1 mission and named after NASA flight 

controller Arturo Campos, who was instrumental in 

successfully bringing the Apollo 13 astronauts home 

safely. John was invited to join the AAS History 

Committee by the chair, Michael Ciancone.

And congratulations to Jennifer, who in December 

2021 graduated from the University of North Texas 

with a master’s degree in information science!

The JSC History Office is working with JSC’s External 

Relations Office to help the Center celebrate its 60th 

anniversary. A series of articles about JSC’s history are 

published on the nasa.gov/history site and on JSC’s 

social media pages. The first virtual panel discussion 

for JSC’s 60th anniversary has been posted to the 

JSC homepage (First Johnson 60th Anniversary Panel 

Discussion). The JSC “Houston, We Have a Podcast” 

episode about JSC’s 60th anniversary is posted at Ep. 

223: NASA's 60 Years in Houston | NASA.

We continue to work with the JSC External Relations 

Office to publish a series of articles commemorating significant historical milestones, such as 

the 50th anniversary of Apollo 15, the 40th anniversary STS-2, and special features for Hispanic 

Heritage Month and about how astronauts celebrate 

Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Hanukkah 

in space. Erik Conway, historian at the Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory, supported three articles commemorating 

the anniversaries of three Mars exploration spacecraft. 

The articles appear on the www.nasa.gov website and 

JSC’s social media accounts. Select articles appeared 

as features on JSC’s Roundup Reads, and abstracts of 

the articles appeared in Roundup Today, JSC’s online 

daily newsletter. The features often highlight the anniversaries of less heralded events and the people who 

were important in the various spaceflight endeavors. 

In September, we reached a significant milestone with 

the publication of the 400th article since the series 

began in August 2017.
10

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

TWO NASA ARMSTRONG EMPLOYEES 

RECALL BUILDING TIME CAPSULE

By Jay Levine

Andy Blua and Don Whitfield stand by the time capsule they helped construct 25 years ago at NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center during the Center’s 

50th anniversary. It was recently opened at the Center, located in Edwards, California, on 13 October 2021. The time capsule was opened as part of the 

activities commemorating the Center’s 75th anniversary. (Photo credit: NASA/Joshua Fisher)

I

n 1995, at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research 

Center in Edwards, California, a time capsule was 

needed. Machinists Andy Blua and Tom McMullen 

and welders Ed Swan and Don Whitfield were 

instructed to follow engineering drawings and build 

the container that would securely hold artifacts for a 

quarter century.

Once complete, the time capsule was loaded with 

the items provided by the Center’s organizations and 

sealed on the Center’s 50th anniversary in 1996.

Fast forward to 13 October 2021, when the Center 

was celebrating its 75th anniversary and the capsule 

items were unloaded. NASA Administrator Bill 

Nelson, NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, 

NASA Armstrong Center Director David McBride, 

and Deputy Director Pat Stoliker reviewed the treasures stored for a new generation of Center employees.

Blua and Whitfield, who still work at the Center, 

were there as the artifacts they helped safely store 

were unpacked.

“I don’t often realize what I am working on, or its 

significance,” Blua said.

In fact, the men had forgotten all about the time 

capsule until recently, when it was announced that it 

would be opened. Whitfield added that they also had 

no idea what was in it.
11

Volume 38, Number 4 Fourth Quarter 2021

Budgets, plans, and technical papers were in the capsule, which also included an aerial photo of the Center, 

an 8-inch data-storage floppy disk that was no longer 

in use by the late 1970s, a punch card last seen routinely in the mid-1980s, a research aircraft fleet image, 

a VHS video, photos of research aircraft, and a staff 

photo taken behind the Center’s Hangar 4802.

In addition, other encapsulated items included 

Hispanic Heritage Program photos, the Flights of 

Discovery book, and the Center’s strategic plan. Perhaps 

the most treasured part of the collection was about 30 

entries that included text and drawings from local 

schoolchildren, called Aeronautics 2020, on what they 

thought the future would look like.

While the time capsule has secured items for 25 years 

and will be doing so again to open on the Center’s 

100th anniversary, Blua and Whitfield have proposed 

improvements. For example, the capsule did not fit 

well into the X-1E cockpit, which is where it was stored 

just outside the Center’s main administration building.

While it is uncertain what items might be selected for 

the time capsule, one thing is sure—it will stand the 

test of time.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson shows a picture of the X-3 to NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center Director David McBride on 13 October. NASA 

Armstrong Deputy Center Director Patrick Stoliker and NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy also are with Nelson and McBride. The X-3 photo was 

contained in a time capsule that was sealed on the Center’s 50th anniversary and opened to commemorate its 75th anniversary. (Photo credit: NASA/

Joshua Fisher)
12

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

NASA AND THE BLACKBIRD PROJECT

By Aishwarya Sukumaran

NASA History Summer/Fall Intern 2021

Lockheed Martin’s SR-71 Blackbird is 

one of the most iconic aircraft to come 

out the Cold War era. It remains one 

of the world’s fastest aircraft, and it still 

holds the official world record for the 

fastest air-breathing crewed aircraft, 

which it set in 1976. As the successor 

to the CIA’s A-12 Archangel, the SR-71 

was used in the Cold War for reconnaissance by the Air Force. Lockheed engineers tested prototype airframes of the 

A-12 at NASA’s Ames Research Center, 

which marked the start of NASA’s 

involvement with the Blackbird project. Later, Lockheed also developed an 

interceptor version of the A-12, known 

as the YF-12A, which was canceled due 

to the success of the SR-71 Blackbird 

as a reconnaissance aircraft. Despite 

the termination of the YF-12 program, 

NASA used the YF-12A along with one 

SR-71A from 1969 to 1979 for a variety of high-speed tests. “YF-12C” in the foreground, with YF-12A in the background. (Photo credit: NASA)

TESTING FROM 1969 TO 1979

NASA had initially requested to place instrumentation in the SR-71 to collect in-flight data but was 

turned down by Lockheed due to concerns about extra 

maintenance. Eventually, NASA was officially loaned 

two YF-12As from the Air Force to use for research 

purposes in 1969. NASA used the aircraft to research 

structural heating and flight loads at a sustained cruise 

speed of Mach 3 to help in the development of supersonic cruise aircraft. The aircraft carried a crew of two, 

one pilot and flight engineer, of which NASA had 

two research pilots—Fitzhugh Fulton and Donald 

Mallick—and two flight engineers—Victor Horton 

and Ray Young—who conducted flight testing from 

the NASA Flight Research Center (now Armstrong 

Flight Research Center). The Air Force also had a team 

of pilots who flew the aircraft as needed. In June 1971, 

one of the YF-12s experienced a malfunction that led 

to a fire in the right engine. Both crew members managed to eject and were uninjured, but the YF-12 could 

not be saved as it crashed in the California desert. 

That YF-12A was replaced by a “YF-12C,” which had 

a distinct look compared to the A model. It was later 

revealed that the “YF-12C” was actually an SR-71, 

painted with an A-12 tail number.

The loaned SR-71 was used in the 1970s to help 

researchers understand Space Shuttle landing dynamics because it handled similarly to the Shuttle when 

in a high-drag configuration. Both aircraft were also 

used as flying laboratories for various experiments, 
13

Volume 38, Number 4 Fourth Quarter 2021

including pollution studies, noise suppression, and 

sonic boom testing. Additionally, NASA was interested in the possibility that the “YF-12C” could launch 

a hypersonic drone from a dorsal mount. Engineers 

modified the aircraft with hard points and changes to 

the fuel tank to maintain a stable center of gravity and 

proposed the use of an HT-4 Hypersonic Drone that 

could launch at the YF-12’s cruise altitudes. NASA 

tests would make it possible for Lockheed to produce 

the M-21 and D-21 mother ship and drone version 

of the A-12 Archangel. Eventually, the project was 

discontinued due to a fatal 

accident, killing test pilot Ray 

Torick and forcing NASA to 

rule out any subsequent drone 

launches from the M-21. 

The SR-71 would serve as a 

chase aircraft for the YF-12A 

during the notable Coldwell 

experiments and would finish its time with NASA as a 

test aircraft for a Cooperative 

Airframe/Propulsion Control 

System (CAPCS) in 1978.

After being retired by the U.S. 

Air Force in 1990, three SR-71 

Blackbirds found their way 

back to NASA in the early ’90s 

at Dryden (now Armstrong) 

Flight Research Center. One 

of the aircraft was later taken 

back by the Air Force in 1995 

for further reconnaissance work, but NASA was able 

to keep the SR-71B (NASA 831)—a trainer version 

of the Blackbird—and one SR-71A (NASA 844) for 

testing purposes. Because the Blackbird was no longer a classified project, NASA was able to collaborate 

with universities and organizations to conduct various experiments that would later inform designers 

for future supersonic aircraft, both commercial and 

military. The NASA SR-71 Program included projects 

and experiments that worked to rebuild the ozone 

layer, test commercial satellite wireless networks, and 

prototype reusable launch vehicles.

LOCKHEED LASRE

The Lockheed Martin Linear Aerospike SR-71 

Experiment (LASRE) was a project conducted by 

NASA in conjunction with Lockheed Martin and 

Rocketdyne to collect data and determine the aerodynamic performance of a potential reusable launch 

vehicle (RLV). That proposed RLV was the X-33, a 

prototype space plane developed in partnership with 

NASA and Lockheed. At the time of the experiments, 

the Linear Aerospike Engine—critical to the X-33’s 

project success—required testing. 

Lockheed Martin X-33 concept art. (Image credit: NASA)

The Linear Aerospike Engine (LAE) was envisioned 

as a propulsion system that was lightweight yet powerful enough to allow for flight. NASA collaborated 

with Lockheed Martin to develop the LAE using data 

from Rocketdyne in the 1960s and ’70s and produced an engine that was quite different from the 

conventional rocket engine. Instead of a bell nozzle 

that would constrict expanding gases, the LAE looked 

like a bell turned inside out and upside down and 

laid flat. The engine had a series of small combustion chambers along the unwrapped bell that shot 
14

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

hot gases to produce thrust (thus giving it the name 

“Linear Aerospike”).

Adding the LASRE pod on the back of the SR-71. (Photo credit: NASA/Tony Landis)

The LASRE experiment was a data collection project 

for the Linear Aerospike Engine, which would in turn 

power the X-33—a reusable launch vehicle prototype 

designed by Lockheed Martin and NASA.

The X-33 was an unpiloted aircraft and would demonstrate new technology in flight, such as a new lifting 

body shape, a linear aerospike engine, and a metallic thermal protection system. This new technology 

would have lowered the cost of bringing a pound of 

payload to space from $10,000 to $1,000.1

1. Monroe Conner, “Lockheed Martin X-33,” NASA (NASA, 30 March 2016), https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/history/

experimental_aircraft/X-33.html.

2. Stephen Corda et al., “Flight Testing the Linear Aerospike SR-71 Experiment (LASRE)” (Washington, DC: National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration, 1998).

3. SR-71 LASRE Linear Aerospike SR-71 Experiment (National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 15 February 1996), https://www.dfrc.

nasa.gov/Gallery/Photo/SR-71-LASRE/HTML/EC96-43419-25.html.

In order to provide data on the potential performance 

of both the X-33 and the Linear Aerospike Engine, 

the SR-71 Blackbird was used as a testbed for the 

engine. Researchers mounted a 20%-scale version of 

the X-33 and the aerospike engine onto the back of 

the Blackbird, with the primary objective of collecting 

installed-engine in-flight test data to compare to wind 

tunnel data.2, 3

FLIGHT TESTING AND RESULTS

To allow the SR-71 to carry the linear aerospike engine, 

modifications were made to the aircraft structure, flight 

test instrumentation, aircraft fuel system, and aircraft 

propulsion system. For the aircraft structure, the 
15

Volume 38, Number 4 Fourth Quarter 2021

fuselage was strengthened, and new attachment hardware was installed to allow the Blackbird to carry the 

LASRE.4 New plumbing additions were also installed 

to supply nitrogen gas from the SR-71 to the LASRE 

during the tests to prevent oxygen buildup and mitigate 

the possibility of fire or explosion. Propulsion modifications included the installation of two thrust-enhanced 

Pratt & Whitney J58 turbojet engines to help overcome 

the additional drag caused by the LASRE.5

Ground cold flow test of the linear aerospike rocket engine mounted on 

the rear fuselage of an SR-71. (Photo credit: NASA/Tony Landis)

Extensive preparations included flight simulations, 

ground testing, wind tunnel testing, and an incremental flight test program that involved flying the 

SR-71 with and without the LASRE attachment. The 

incremental tests allowed researchers to understand 

how the SR-71 and the experiment would react 

individually. Researchers used wind tunnel testing 

to understand the aerodynamic characteristics of the 

LASRE pod and used ground tests (shown in the 

photo) to properly time the flow of liquids between 

4. Stephen Corda et al., “Flight Testing the Linear Aerospike SR-71 Experiment (LASRE)” (Washington, DC: National Aeronautics and

Space Administration, 1998), p. 4.

5. Ibid.

6. Stephen Corda et al., “Flight Testing the Linear Aerospike SR-71 Experiment (LASRE)” (Washington, DC: National Aeronautics and

Space Administration, 1998), p. 16.

7. Brian Dunbar, “X-33,” NASA (NASA, 19 August 2015), https://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/multimedia/imagegallery/X-33/X-33_

proj_desc.html.

the Blackbird and the LASRE.6 The SR-71 and the 

LASRE pod completed seven flights in total over the 

course of the experiment. The first two flights were to 

see how nitrogen and helium would cycle through the 

experiment to check for leaks. The other five tested the 

experiment itself, but only in a cold flow configuration. NASA discontinued the LASRE experiment due 

to cost-cutting measures before hot flow tests were 

able to be completed.

THE FUTURE OF THE LINEAR AEROSPIKE 

ENGINE AND THE SR-71 BLACKBIRD

NASA discontinued the X-33 program in 2001, partially due to cost-cutting measures as well as issues 

with its composite liquid hydrogen tank.7 Thus, the 

linear aerospike engine that was tested with the 

LASRE project was no longer being considered for 

use in the form of an RLV. However, the testing and 

further development of the aerospike engine did not 

end with the X-33, and other organizations have continued to make progress. Notably, in 2004, NASA 

THE TESTING AND FURTHER 

DEVELOPMENT OF THE 

AEROSPIKE ENGINE DID NOT 

END WITH THE X-33, AND 

OTHER ORGANIZATIONS 

HAVE CONTINUED TO 

MAKE PROGRESS.
16

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

sponsored two successful tests in conjunction with the 

Blacksky Corporation, called the Dryden Aerospike 

Rocket Test.8

After the termination of the LASRE program in 1999, 

the SR-71 Blackbird flew one last time with NASA’s 

8. Brian Dunbar, “Pointy End Up? With Aerospike Rockets, It’s Down, Too!” NASA (NASA, 26 April 2004), https://www.nasa.gov/

missions/research/aerospike_rocket.html.

9. Peter Merlin, “Lockheed SR-71A (61-7980 / NASA 844) Flight Log” (Washington, DC: NASA, 2002).

10. Monroe Conner, “Where Are They Now: SR-71 #831,” NASA (NASA, 20 October 2015), https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/

history/where_are_they_now/SR-71_831.html.

11. Monroe Conner, “Where Are They Now: SR-71A #844,” NASA (NASA, 20 October 2015), https://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/

history/where_are_they_now/SR-71A_844.html.

flight crew at the Edwards Air Force Base air show in 

the same year.9 The SR-71 trainer that was used by 

NASA (NASA 831) is on display at the Pima Air and 

Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona, and the SR-71A 

(NASA 844) is displayed at Armstrong Flight Research 

Center in Edwards, California.10, 11

www.nasa.gov

NASA’s History Division is pleased to 

present Christopher Gainor’s new, richly 

illustrated book documenting the Hubble 

Space Telescope’s spellbinding 30-year 

history of operations in space. Gainor details 

Hubble’s development and launch; its repair 

and upgrading through several servicing 

missions; and the effects of its continuing 

contributions to our knowledge of our solar 

system, galaxy, and universe. Discover how 

Hubble’s mission has become a model of 

supranational cooperation among scientists 

and how the images it produces have 

expanded our appreciation for the universe.

NEW

NOT YET 

IMAGINED

A STUDY OF HUBBLE SPACE 

TELESCOPE OPERATIONS 

from the NASA

 HISTORY DIVISION

National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration

DOWNLOAD THE FREE E-BOOK

http://www.nasa.gov/connect/ebooks/not-yet-imagined.html

PRINTED COPIES are available free from the NASA Headquarters 

Information Center: 300 E St. SW, Suite 1U72, Washington, DC 20546.

For information, email info-center@hq.nasa.gov or call 202-358-0000.
17

Volume 38, Number 4 Fourth Quarter 2021

IN MEMORIAM

W. DAVID COMPTON

By John Uri

We were saddened to hear of the passing of W. David Compton on 22 January 2022, in Athens, Georgia, at the 

age of 94. David, a native Texan with B.S. and M.S. degrees in 

chemistry from North Texas State College and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Texas, worked in the History Office 

at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston as a contract writer. 

He authored two official NASA histories, Living and Working 

in Space: A History of Skylab (with Charles Benson), NASA 

SP-4208, published in 1983, and Where No Man Has Gone 

Before: A History of NASA's Apollo Lunar Expeditions, NASA 

SP-4214, published in 1989. In between those two book contracts, 

he wrote the chapter on NASA and space sciences in 100 Years 

of Science and Technology in Texas, published in 1986 by Sigma 

Xi for its centenary and Texas’s sesquicentennial. David received 

the Dr. Robert H. Goddard Historical Essay Prize at the National 

Space Club’s 1983 Goddard Memorial Dinner. His works contributed significantly to the space history literature.

W. David Compton. (Photo courtesy of https://www.

dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/athens-ga/william-compton10544220)

HANS MARK

By James Anderson

In December last year, Hans Mark passed away. A former Deputy 

Administrator from 1981 to 1984 and the third Center Director of 

Ames Research Center, Mark dedicated his career to public service 

in ways that shaped the Agency and the nation.

Dr. Hans Mark, NASA Ames Director (1969–77), photo taken 

16 September 2008. (Credit: NASA/Dominic Hart)

Born in Mannheim, Germany, in 1929, Mark escaped from 

Austria with his family in 1940 and moved to New York, becoming a citizen in 1945. Intrigued by scientific and technological 

advancements the world was witnessing, Mark studied physics at 

the University of California (UC), Berkeley, and earned his doctorate in the field from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology 

in 1954. He moved between the two institutions over the next 

15 years, serving as a research physicist at UC’s Lawrence Radiation 

Laboratory in Livermore until 1958, then as an assistant professor 

of physics at MIT before returning to head the Livermore Lab’s 

Experimental Physics Division from 1960 until 1964. He then 

chaired Berkeley’s Department of Nuclear Engineering and later 
18

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

became administrator of the Berkeley Research Reactor. 

He joined Ames as its Center Director in 1969.

At that time, theoretical work in fluid flow was 

advancing. Mark had seen firsthand great leaps in 

computing capability while at Livermore, and he and 

others agreed that the state of the art in computing 

had reached a point that could profoundly impact 

fluid mechanics work. The Computational Fluid 

Dynamics Branch was created at Ames, and Mark 

took advantage of government computers about to 

be declared surplus. He also persuaded the Advanced 

Research Projects Agency (ARPA) to place the Illiac 

IV at Ames. The Illiac IV was a crucial component 

of the development of computational fluid dynamics, 

one of NASA’s most significant contributions in the 

aerospace field. By 1976, Ames was poised to solidify 

its position within NASA as the place for supercomputing, a legacy that continues to this day.

Mark also oversaw the development of a long and productive partnership with the Army for joint research 

in vertical takeoff and landing. A key development 

was the XV-15, an experimental tiltrotor that led to 

the V-22, an aircraft capable of taking off and landing like a helicopter and flying as a turboprop plane. 

Mark moved on from Ames in 1977 to serve as Under 

Secretary of the Air Force until July 1979, when he was 

promoted to Secretary. He soon returned to NASA in 

1981, when he was appointed Deputy Administrator 

and the Space Shuttle had just begun to fly.

Upon leaving NASA in 1984, Mark served as 

Chancellor of the University of Texas (UT) system 

until 1992. Aside from continuing to advise the government, Mark remained connected to the UT system, 

teaching aerospace engineering and inspiring generations of students.

The Austin American-Statesman reports that memorial gifts can be made to the Hans Mark Scholarship 

Endowment at the University of Texas.

Mark’s tenure is covered in the most recent edition of 

Atmosphere of Freedom on pages 9 to 13.

JOHN CHARLES

By John Uri

John Charles. (Photo credit: NASA)

I first met John in 1985. I was immediately impressed 

by his overwhelming and infectious enthusiasm for 

spaceflight. We had just met, but he sensed in me a 

fellow space cadet and took me to Mission Control so 

I could watch the STS-51D astronauts try to salvage 

a satellite during an unscheduled spacewalk. While 

we watched the EVA, we got to chatting about our 

common interest in space, and especially its biomedical aspects. He told me that Story Musgrave’s work 

had inspired him to earn his doctorate in physiology 

and biophysics at the University of Kentucky. John 

had just completed a two-year fellowship at Johnson 

Space Center (JSC) and become a civil servant in the 

cardiovascular lab at JSC.

I have many fond memories of John over the decades 

from various chapters in our respective careers. At 

times, we worked directly together; at others, I admired 

his work from a distance. With our interests in the 
19

Volume 38, Number 4 Fourth Quarter 2021

Russian space program, we both became involved in 

the Shuttle-Mir Program from its earliest beginnings 

in 1992. This led to numerous trips to Russia over the 

next several years, and I still remember his unbounded 

excitement when he first saw the Russian Chibis 

Lower Body Negative Pressure device, something we 

had all read about but now he was finally able to see 

and operate firsthand. I remember one episode when, 

tired of the endless negotiations, John and I decided 

to strike out on our own at Star City, which in those 

early days wasn’t really done. Anyway, we stumbled 

into the buildings housing the crew centrifuge and 

the Hydrolab, the large pool where cosmonauts train 

for EVAs, and managed not to start an international 

incident with our unescorted explorations. I may have 

at least partially contributed to his career change from 

a full-time researcher to a research manager when I 

requested his help as a mission scientist for the NASA 

4 and 5 missions of Jerry Linenger and Mike Foale 

aboard Mir, a job that he took on with his usual 

boundless energy and enthusiasm.

John’s next assignments included serving as the mission scientist for STS-95, which saw John’s childhood 

hero astronaut John Glenn return to space in 1998 

after 36 years, and for STS-107, the last fateful flight 

of Space Shuttle Columbia in 2003. We would often 

run into each other in the Mission Control Center 

and compare notes about how our respective simulations or missions were going, as I was working 

in the International Space Station program at the 

time. John later earned the eminent position of Chief 

Scientist for the Human Research Program (HRP), 

and our careers crossed paths again as I managed the 

space radiation element for HRP for four years. John 

continued to be an outstanding scientist and excellent 

manager to work with, lending much encouragement 

when I needed it most. He also led the scientific effort 

behind the One-Year Mission of astronaut Scott Kelly 

and cosmonaut Mikhail Korniyenko in 2015–16, 

including the unique studies conducted with Scott 

and his twin brother, astronaut Mark Kelly.

I joined hundreds of well-wishers at John’s retirement 

party in 2018 at Space Center Houston (SCH). After 

35 years at NASA, he had decided it was time for a 

change, but we all knew he couldn’t turn his back on 

space. Indeed, SCH hired John as their first scientist 

in residence. I was fortunate to see John frequently in 

his new role, as he hosted many of SCH’s Thought 

Leader Series and other events, and he was always 

kind to take the time to introduce me to any speakers 

I didn’t know. As president of the American Academy 

of Matrimonial Lawyers, my wife Susan hosted an 

event for them at SCH, including a dinner to which 

we naturally invited John as a guest. In his typical 

generous fashion, and without being asked, John took 

it upon himself to provide an impromptu and enthusiastic 1-hour tour of SCH’s exhibits to many very 

appreciative lawyers.

JOHN CONTINUED TO BE AN 

OUTSTANDING SCIENTIST AND 

EXCELLENT MANAGER TO 

WORK WITH, LENDING MUCH 

ENCOURAGEMENT WHEN I 

NEEDED IT MOST.

John published more than 60 scientific papers about 

cardiovascular physiology in space. As a space history 

enthusiast, he also published numerous articles on 

that subject and spoke at various venues. I relied on 

his expertise on such subjects as the U.S. Air Force’s 

Manned Orbiting Laboratory, early Apollo spacesuits, 

the use of neutral buoyancy for spacewalk training, 

the Lunar Receiving Laboratory, and many others. 

I still rely on his publications, as well as the oral 

histories that he so generously provided to the JSC 

History Office.

Over the years, my wife and I attended several Riders 

in the Sky concerts with John and his wife Kathy. 

They just won’t be the same without him.

Ad astra, John.
20

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The American Astronautical Society’s annual Goddard 

Memorial Symposium will be held virtually and in 

Greenbelt, Maryland, 16–18 March 2022. Visit

https://astronautical.org/events/goddard for more 

details. 

The annual meeting of the National Council on Public 

History will be held in Montreal, Quebec, 23–27 

March 2022. Visit https://www.ncph.org for more 

details. 

The annual Spring Meetings of the International 

Astronautical Federation will be held in Paris, France, 

29–31 March 2022. Visit http://www.iafastro.org for 

more details.

The annual meeting of the Organization of American 

Historians will be held virtually and in Boston, 

Massachusetts, 31 March to 3 April 2022. Visit 

https://www.oah.org for more details.

The biennial Policy History Conference will be held in 

Tempe, Arizona, 1–4 June 2022. Visit https://jph.asu.

edu/conferences for more details. 

The annual meeting of the Society for History in the 

Federal Government will be held in Shepherdstown, 

West Virginia, 2–3 June 2022. Visit http://www.shfg.

org/annual-meeting for more details.

The annual meeting for the Society of American 

Archivists will be held in Boston, Massachusetts, 

20–27 August 2022. See https://www2.archivists.org/

conference/ for more details. 

STAY UP 

TO DATE

WITH NASA HISTORY’S EVENTS 

AND PUBLICATIONS

SIGN UP FOR OUR LISTSERV AT 

https://history.nasa.gov/listserv.html

NASA HEADQUARTERS HISTORY DIVISION 

STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION

Brian Odom brian.c.odom@nasa.gov

Acting Chief Historian 256-541-8974

Nadine Andreassen nadine.j.andreassen@nasa.gov

Program Support Specialist 202-358-0087

Catherine Baldwin catherine.e.baldwin@nasa.gov

Editor 202-358-4397

Stephen Garber stephen.j.garber@nasa.gov

Historian 202-358-0385

Sarah Jenkins sarah.h.jenkins@nasa.gov

Archivist 202-358-1033

Sarah LeClaire sarah.k.leclaire@nasa.gov

Archivist 202-358-1380

Holly McIntyre holly.a.mcintyre@nasa.gov

Acting Chief Archivist 301-286-6126
21

Volume 38, Number 4 Fourth Quarter 2021

OTHER AEROSPACE HISTORY NEWS

AMERICAN ASTRONAUTICAL SOCIETY 

(AAS) HISTORY COMMITTEE

By Michael Ciancone

2020 Emme Award for Astronautical Literature

The Emme Award—named for NASA’s first Historian, recognizes outstanding books that 

advance public understanding of astronautics based 

on originality, scholarship, and readability. The Emme 

Award Panel, chaired by Dr. Don Elder, guided 

the review of submitted and solicited titles. Other 

members of the Panel are Dr. Rick Sturdevant, 

Dr. Jennifer Levasseur, and Dr. De Witt Kilgore.

In addition, the Panel selects recipients for the Emme 

Junior Award, which considers books written specifically for children (K–5) and young adults (6–12) to 

recognize efforts to inspire and educate today’s students (and future leaders) through publications aimed 

at K–12 students.

The Panel has selected the following recipients for the 

2020 Emme Awards:

• Emme Award: Teasel Muir-Harmony, Operation 

Moonglow: A Political History of Project Apollo (Basic 

Books)

• Emme Junior Award: John Rocco, How We Got to 

the Moon: The People, Technology, and Daring Feats 

of Science Behind Humanity’s Greatest Adventure 

(Crown Books for Young Readers)

2021 Ordway Award for Sustained 

Excellence in Spaceflight History

The Ordway Award is named in memory of Frederick 

I. Ordway III (1927–2014), human spaceflight 

advocate and chronicler of the history of rocketry 

and space travel. The award recognizes exceptional, 

sustained efforts to inform and educate on spaceflight 

and its history through one or more media, such as 

1) writing, editing, or publishing; 2) preparation and/

or presentation of exhibits; or 3) production for distribution through film, television, art, or other non-print 

media. The award is managed by the Ordway Panel of 

the AAS History Committee. Members of the Panel 

are Michael Ciancone (Chair), Robert Godwin, 

Dr. Valerie Neal, Ron Miller, Dr. Roger Launius

(2020 recipient), Bill Ingalls (2020 recipient), and 

Rachel Tillman (2020 recipient). 

The 2021 recipients of the Ordway Award are as 

follows:

• Asif A. Siddiqi, Ph.D., is recognized for sustained 

excellence as a prolific scholar of Soviet space history and the broader aspects of space exploration 

on a global scale. 

• Robert Z. Pearlman is recognized for his unique 

and broad contributions to the preservation of 

spaceflight history, creating communities of spaceflight professionals and fans from around the globe 

on his online platform and through writing, film, 

and activities that reach all ages and levels of interest, creating the strong human interest that feeds 

national and international commitment.

International Academy of Astronautics History Series

Univelt has all materials in hand for IAC 2018

(Bremen, Volume Editor: Hannes Mayer) and IAC 

2019 (DC, Volume Editor: Oti Liepack). Publication 

of the AAS History Series by Univelt will end with the 

publication of the 2019 volume.

Membership Updates

The Committee welcomed several new members: 

Dr. Erik Conway (JPL Chief Historian), Dr. Jennifer 

Levasseur (Smithsonian National Air and Space 

Museum), Dr. Teasel Muir-Harmony (Smithsonian 

National Air and Space Museum), Dr. Brian Odom

(NASA Chief Historian [acting]), and John Uri (JSC 

History Office).
22

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

CALL FOR PAPERS: HISTORY OF NASA 

AND THE ENVIRONMENT SYMPOSIUM

Date: 29–30 September 2022

Location: Georgetown University/Hybrid

Organizers: NASA, Georgetown University, and 

New Jersey Institute of Technology 

NASA is called the space agency, but in a broader 

sense, we could be called an environmental 

agency.... Virtually everything we do, manned 

or unmanned, science or applications, helps in 

some practical way to improve the environment 

of our planet and helps us understand the forces 

that affect it.

—NASA Administrator James Fletcher 

to Congress, March 1973

To more critically analyze the historical connection between NASA and the environment, the 

NASA History Office and Georgetown University 

invite proposals for papers to be presented at a twoday symposium, 29–30 September at Georgetown 

University, Washington, DC. The purpose of the 

symposium is to analyze the long history of NASA’s 

interest in, responses to, exploration of, and impact 

upon environments as broadly construed. The planning committee thus welcomes papers exploring 

NASA’s relationship to environments on Earth, on 

other planetary bodies, and in deep space, as well 

as papers undertaking a variety of methodological 

approaches, including not only the history of science, 

environmental history, and the history of technology, 

but also social, cultural, political, economic, legal, and 

other types of historical analysis. Diverse scholars at 

every seniority level are encouraged to apply, and the 

organizers are pleased to provide funding for hotel 

accommodations for two nights near the university. 

Possible topics for papers include, but are not limited 

to, the following:

• NASA and the Environmental Movement

• NASA and Environmental Justice/Inequality

• Environmental Impact of NASA Technology and 

Development

• International Collaboration/Global Environment

• Space Exploration and Human Health/Biology

• Environmental History of NASA Facilities

• NASA Responses to Environmental Changes on 

Earth and in Space

• Cultural Histories of NASA and the Environment

• Earth and Space Photography/Art

• Environmental Analog Sites/Artificial Landscapes

• Earth Observing Technologies

• Remote Sensing and Geographic Information 

Systems

• Earth Science Applications/Missions/Policies

• NASA and Climate Change Science

• Planetary Sciences

• Planetary Protection Protocols

• History of Exobiology/Astrobiology

• Environmental Control and Life Support Systems

• Orbital Debris/Space Junk

• Environmental History of Space Colonies

• Decadal Planning

• Biographies of NASA Earth/Space Scientists

The format of the symposium will be a combination 

of panel discussions, keynote talks, and group discussion. The intention is to publish an anthology of 

selected papers.

Submission Procedures: If you wish to present a 

paper, please send an abstract of no more than 400 

words and a short biography or curriculum vitae, 

including affiliation, by 1 July 2022 to: 

Dr. Brian C. Odom 

NASA

brian.c.odom@nasa.gov

Dr. Dagomar Degroot

Georgetown University 

dagomar.degroot@georgetown.edu

Dr. Neil Maher

New Jersey Institute of Technology 

maher@njit.edu
23

Volume 38, Number 4 Fourth Quarter 2021

IMAGE IN NASA HISTORY

This photo, taken in 1962, shows Dr. Hans Mark, Director of NASA Ames Research Center from 1969 to 1977 and NASA Deputy Administrator from 1981 to 1984, in his office with his secretary, Edie Watson. 

(Photo credit: NASA/Lee Jones) 
CREATED AND PRODUCED BY:

Catherine Baldwin, Newsletter Editor

Andrew Cooke, Editor

Michele Ostovar, Graphic Designer

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