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National Aeronautics and 

Space Administration

NASA HISTORY DIVISION

OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

Volume 34, Number 2 Second Quarter 2017

IN THIS ISSUE:

1 From the Chief Historian

1 How 11 Deaf Men Helped Shape 

NASA’s Human Spaceflight 

Program

4 News from Headquarters and 

the Centers

15 Other Aerospace History News

18 Recent Publications

21 Upcoming Meetings

22 The 1970 Total Solar Eclipse

24 NASA and Art: A Collaboration 

Colored with History

27 Image in NASA History

FROM

THE CHIEF 

HISTORIAN

At the risk of delaying the production of this edition 

of News and Notes, 

I’m going to make 

some comments here on our annual History 

Program Review, which we just completed 

on 11 May at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory 

(JPL) in Pasadena, California. First, let me 

start with a huge thank-you to Erik Conway,

JPL historian, and Julie Cooper, JPL archivist, for their outstanding work organizing the 

2017 Program Review. Erik and Julie, working 

closely with our own Nadine Andreassen here 

at Headquarters, really took the ball and ran 

with it. The facilities, the schedule, the “extracurricular” activities, and all other aspects of 

the meeting were handled smoothly and perfectly. They even ordered cool, overcast weather 

for the days we spent in meetings indoors and 

perfect weather for the day when we spent 

some time outside looking at the historical 

treasures of JPL and exploring the California 

Institute of Technology (Caltech). We owe a 

really big thank-you to Erik, Julie, and Nadine

for making this a smooth-running and enjoyable event that allowed us to focus on the key

issues before NASA’s history program.

There were a lot of issues for us to discuss. Like 

every government organization, we all face 

challenges in trying to be more efficient and 

effective on an ever-tighter budget. For those

HOW 11 DEAF MEN HELPED SHAPE NASA’S 

HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT PROGRAM

By Hannah Hotovy, NASA History Division Intern

Before NASA could send humans to space, the Agency needed to better understand the effects of prolonged 

weightlessness on the human body. So, in 

the late 1950s, NASA and the U.S. Naval 

School of Aviation Medicine established 

a joint research program to study these 

effects and recruited 11 deaf men aged 

25–48 from Gallaudet College (now 

Gallaudet University). Today, these men 

are known to history as the “Gallaudet 

Eleven,” and their names are listed below:

Harold Domich

Robert Greenmun

Barron Gulak

Raymond Harper

Jerald Jordan

Harry Larson

David Myers

Donald Peterson

Raymond Piper

Alvin Steele

John Zakutney

All but one had become deaf early in their 

lives due to spinal meningitis, which damaged the vestibular systems of their 

inner ear in a way that made them “immune” to motion sickness. Throughout a 

decade of various experiments, researchers measured the volunteers’ nonreaction 

to motion sickness on both a physiological and psychological level, relying on 

the 11 men to report in detail their sensations and changes in perception. These 

experiments helped to improve humanity’s understanding of how the body’s 
2

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

of us in the history and archival business, those pressures play out in some interesting ways. For example, 

nearly everyone at the meeting was facing the efforts 

of NASA’s facility managers to demolish outdated 

buildings that are expensive to maintain. While this 

is a smart strategic move for the Agency in terms of 

reducing spending on buildings, most of the archival 

programs across NASA rely on old, underused buildings to store our archival collections and other items. 

Moving out of those facilities involves a cost, as well 

as the inevitable demand for a dramatic reduction in 

the size of the archival collection when it moves into 

another facility. The expectation is that archivists will 

simply digitize all of that paper and then throw it 

away. However, that expectation ignores a couple of 

important realities. First, digitization is neither quick 

nor cheap. Doing it right is hugely expensive (especially when dealing with the types of old paper documents found in archival collections across the Agency). 

Digitization also comes with an eternal maintenance 

cost. Digital records can degrade over time and need 

long-term care. More importantly, as digital formats,

software, and security rules change over time, the 

digital collection needs continuing updates to make 

sure it remains accessible. A perfect example of this 

problem is the pile of floppy disks that hold my 1996 

doctoral dissertation. Even if I could find a floppy-disk

reader, I wouldn’t be able to open the Microsoft Word 

files because Word 1.0 has security vulnerabilities 

and current versions of the program won’t open the 

old version. (Good thing I made a PDF copy and 

have re-saved it in the newer versions of the program

every few years.) The second issue with digitization is 

whether it is prudent to throw away the originals. This 

is a subject of debate in the archival community and 

outside my area of expertise. But I am mindful that 

there are some paper records in our collections that 

have an intrinsic value beyond the information on the 

page. It is one thing to view an image of meeting notes 

jotted down by legendary leaders of our organization; 

it is another to hold their notebooks in your hands. 

My point here is that implementing the smart strategy 

for NASA facilities involves costs not normally considered inside the bureaucratic stovepipes where those 

decisions are made. One of the many tasks we faced in 

our Program Review was how to break through those 

stovepipes to make sure that solving one Agency problem doesn’t cause another. This is a challenge all of us 

in government face as we try to be the best possible 

stewards of our tax dollars.

Attendees pose in front of a model of the Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover during 

the annual History Program Review at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. (Photo credit: NASA 

JPL–Caltech)

Throughout the summer, we will be working on this 

issue (and many others that came up in the Program 

Review) as we also prepare to mark some major 

upcoming anniversaries. Upon us as the summer ends 

will be the 40th anniversary of the launch of the two 

Voyager probes, followed quickly by the 60th anniversary of the start of the Space Age in 1957 and early 

1958. The 60th anniversary of the creation of NASA 

follows next fall and nearly overlaps the 50th anniversaries of the crewed flights in the Apollo program. 

These are exciting times for NASA history.

Enjoy the ride and Godspeed,

William P. Barry

Chief Historian

From the Chief Historian (continued)
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Volume 34, Number 2 Second Quarter 2017

sensory systems work when the usual gravitational 

cues from the inner ear are not available (as is the case 

of these young men and in spaceflight). “We were 

different in a way they needed,” said Harry Larson, 

one of the volunteer test subjects.

The experiments tested the subjects’ balance and physiological adaptations in a diverse range of environments. One test saw four subjects spend 12 straight 

days inside a 20-foot slow-rotation room, whic

remained in a constant motion of 10 revolutions per 

minute. In another scenario, subjects participated 

in a series of zero-g flights in the notorious “Vomit

Comet” aircraft to help researchers understand connections between body orientation and gravitational 

cues. Another experiment, conducted in a ferry off the 

coast of Nova Scotia, tested the subjects’ reactions to 

the choppy seas. While the test subjects played cards 

and enjoyed one another’s company, the researchers 

themselves were so overcome with sea sickness that 

the experiment had to be canceled. The Gallaudet test 

subjects reported no adverse physical effects and, in 

fact, enjoyed the experience. Test participant Barron 

Gulak later remarked about such experiments: “In 

retrospect, yes, it was scary...but at the same time we 

were young and adventurous.”

Based on their findings from a decade’s worth of 

experimentation, researchers gained insight into the 

body’s sensory systems and their responses to foreign 

gravitational environments. Through their endurance 

and dedication, the Gallaudet Eleven made substantial contributions to the understanding of motion 

sickness and adaptation to spaceflight.

On 11 April 2017, our Chief Historian, Bill Barry, 

had the honor of representing NASA at the opening of Gallaudet University’s museum exhibit “Deaf 

Difference + Space Survival.” Curated by Gallaudet 

student Maggie Kopp, the exhibit highlights the relatively unknown contributions to the study of motion 

sickness made by these 11 university alums for a 

decade, from 1958 to 1968. Present were 3 of the 11 

former study participants: Harry O. Larson, class of 

1961; Barron Gulak, class of ’62; and David O. Myers, 

class of ’61.

How 11 Deaf Men Helped Shape NASA’s Human Spaceflight Program (continued)

Left: Study participants chat in the zero-g aircraft that flew out of Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. (Photo credit: U.S. Navy/Gallaudet University collection) 

Right: Study participant Harry Larson stands in a 20-foot slow-rotation room. Experiments like these helped NASA understand the effects of gravitational 

changes on the human body. (Photo credit: Gallaudet University Archives/Harry Larson collection)
4

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

Pictured is the exhibit’s ribbon-cutting ceremony at Gallaudet University Museum. From left to 

right: Gallaudet exhibit curator Margaret Kopp, NASA Chief Historian Bill Barry, Dr. Paul DiZio of the 

Ashton Graybiel Spatial Orientation Laboratory at Brandeis University, Harry O. Larson (Gallaudet 

class of 1961), Barron Gulak (’62), David O. Myers (’61), Gallaudet University President Roberta 

J. Cordano, and Gallaudet Provost Carol J. Erting. (Courtesy of Jean Bergey, Gallaudet University)

“Deaf Difference + Space Survival” is 

currently on display at Gallaudet 

University’s Jordan Student Academic 

Center, open Monday through 

Friday, 8 a.m.–10 p.m. For more 

information, visit https://www.

gallaudet.edu/museum/exhibits/

deaf-difference--space-survival-exhibit.

NEWS FROM HEADQUARTERS AND THE CENTERS

NASA HEADQUARTERS

Washington, DC

History Division and Historical 

Reference Collection (HRC)

By Bill Barry

While everyone at NASA is curious about who our next Administrator will be, life at Headquarters 

continues. One item that has been settled is the 

identity of our new Associate Administrator for 

Communications—the person who oversees the 

History Division. Jen Rae Wang has more than a 

decade of experience at the highest levels of state and 

federal government in media, strategic communications, and organizational leadership. She is a real 

enthusiast for NASA’s mission and brings a refreshing 

sense of practicality and people skills to a demanding 

job. In my first meeting with her, she asked a lot of 

really good (and sometimes tough) questions about 

the NASA history program. I am sure that we’ll be 

able to count on her for strong support for our history 

and archival efforts.

Unfortunately, we may need that help sooner than I’d 

hoped. Our effort to hire a Chief Archivist got caught 

in the changing personnel policy of the new administration. The presidential hiring freeze was lifted, but 

NASA is still grappling with personnel planning under 

some new rules. So our previous hiring effort had to 

be canceled. Although this is a huge disappointment, 

we are working to get approval so that we can reinitiate 

the hiring process. The good news is that I know there 

are great people out there interested in the work. I, for 

one, will be thrilled to help one of them fulfill that 

ambition. Despite the absence of a Chief Archivist, 

Colin Fries and Liz Suckow continue to keep our 

archival program on track under the able leadership 

of Steve Garber. They have had a particularly productive spring, dealing with new acquisitions, scanning 

thousands of pages of historical budget documents 

(over 17,000 pages in March alone), and answering an 

incredible array of questions from within NASA and 

from outside. Their incredible skill in tracking down 

information about even the most obscure questions 

has earned the History Division quite a reputation as 

the “go to” place for answers.
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Volume 34, Number 2 Second Quarter 2017

DESPITE THE ABSENCE OF A 

CHIEF ARCHIVIST, COLIN FRIES 

AND LIZ SUCKOW CONTINUE 

TO KEEP OUR ARCHIVAL 

PROGRAM ON TRACK UNDER 

THE ABLE LEADERSHIP OF 

STEVE GARBER. 

One of the strategic investments we’ve been working 

toward over the last couple of years is an effort to 

refresh and reorganize the 

history Web site, https://

history.nasa.gov. The site 

is an amazing resource that 

has grown since the earliest 

days of the Internet into 

over 12,000 pages hosting 

over 61 gigabytes of data. 

The continuing value of 

being an early adopter of 

the Web is evident in our usage statistics. In 2016, the 

site had over 60 million hits. That’s over 160,000 each 

day! When it was last redesigned over a decade ago, 

the look, feel, and utility of the site was cutting-edge.

But nothing stays still on the Web. The current site has 

features that are no longer usable, and it is not easy to 

navigate. More importantly, most people access NASA 

content from their mobile devices (phones and tablets) these days, and our site is not mobile-friendly. As

a result, while 60 million hits is an impressive number, 

that figure has actually been declining for the last couple of years. Unfortunately, during that same period, 

the cost of Web design work has gone up dramatically 

and our budget has been declining. We did get some 

great initial design work done for an improved version 

of the site, but lack of funding has put the completion 

of that work on hold. We hope to restart that work 

next fiscal year. But, in the meantime, https://history.

nasa.gov will be stuck in the Internet Bronze Age.

As mentioned last quarter, planning for NASA’s 60th 

anniversary (1 October 2018) and the 50th anniversaries of the crewed Apollo missions (Apollo 7’s 

that same month) will be a major challenge for this 

year. The NASA Communications Coordinating 

Council (CCC) agreed to set up a committee to plan 

the anniversary events and try to synchronize efforts. 

The History Division is leading that committee—and 

getting our arms around the rapidly expanding list of 

activities already in progress for the various anniversaries is a big task. As this summer progresses, you’ll 

be hearing a lot more about 

what NASA plans to do and 

how we’ll work with others 

to plan related anniversary 

commemorations.

Helping us this summer 

(thank goodness) will be 

three interns. In addition 

to the usual pair of history 

interns, the NASA Office 

of Education is sponsoring an intern whom they 

want to be part of our 

team. Jordan Carter, a sophomore at the University of 

Virginia, joined us late in May and will stay through 

the end of July. Victoria Wegman, a junior at the 

Ohio State University, arrived shortly after Jordan and 

will stay with us until the start of August. Rounding 

out our super-sized intern team this summer will be

Julian Haddad, a graduate student at the University of 

California, San Diego. He’ll be with us into September. 

We are looking forward to a very productive summer. 

Of course, the summer interns have a tough act to 

follow. By the time you read this, our spring intern, 

Hannah Hotovy, will have graduated from Nebraska 

Wesleyan University. Hannah was our sole intern this 

spring and did a marvelous job of juggling all of the 

intern work herself. She not only kept things on an 

even keel but produced some really interesting articles on things like the NASA art program and the 

Gallaudet Eleven (see the articles in this newsletter), 

among others. We’re going to miss her.

AMES RESEARCH CENTER (ARC)

Moffett Field, California

By Glenn Bugos and Jack Boyd

The NASA Ames Women’s Influence Network (WIN) 

and the African American Advisory Group (AAAG) 

were inspired by Hidden Figures, the book that shed 

light on the African American women employed 

as “computers” at NASA Langley Research Center 

(LaRC). At a Center-wide event on 1 February 2017,
6

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

Carol Mead and Carolyn Hofstetter answered questions from a standing-room-only crowd on what i

was like for women to work in science, technology, 

engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at the 

start of the Space Age. A month later, the former 

computers returned for another WIN event featuring 

Karan Kendrick, an actor from the film.

Shown here with WIN and AAAG are Carol Mead (right) and Carolyn 

Hofstetter (left), two human computers who worked at Ames in the 

early 1950s.

Vincenti is in the back row, second from the left, June 1940, in one of the staff photographs of 

the Ames Aeronautical Laboratory

Walter Vincenti was awarded the Guggenheim 

Medal of the American Institute of Aeronautics and 

Astronautics (AIAA), perhaps the premier recognition 

for a lifetime of achievement in the advancement of 

aeronautics. The award honors Vincenti’s “seminal 

pioneering supersonic wind tunnel research, education in high temperature gas dynamics, and exceptional contributions to the history of engineering 

technology.” Vincenti spent the first 17 years of his 

remarkable career as an aerodynamicist in high-speed

aeronautics at the National Advisory Committee for 

Aeronautics’ (NACA) Ames Aeronautical Laboratory. 

In 1957, he moved to Stanford University, where 

he reinvigorated their Aeronautics and Astronautics 

Department and taught many of the engineers who 

took Ames into the Space Age. In 1971, he began 

the third leg of his career by starting the Program in 

Science, Technology and Society, now one of the most 

popular majors at Stanford. His book of case studies 

on early aeronautical engineering, What Engineers 

Know and How They Know It (1990), is one of the key 

texts in the history of engineering, and he won the Da 

Vinci Medal for lifetime achievement from the Society 

for the History of Technology. On 20 April 2017, he 

celebrated his 100th birthday.

Reference Collection

By April Gage and Keith Venter

Individual Properties and New Wind Tunnel 

District Listed in National Register of Historic 

Places: On 11 January 2017, three individual properties and a Wind Tunnel Historic District at Ames 

Research Center were entered into the National 

Register of Historic Places. Below are details from registration materials that were researched and prepared 

by a team of architectural historians (Trina Meiser, 

Patricia Ambacher, Madeline Bowen, and Mark 

Bowen) under the direction of the Ames Historic 

Preservation Officer, Keith Venter.

NASA Ames Wind Tunnel Historic District: Deemed 

significant for its associations with aeronautical and 

aerospace research, the development of aircraft and 

spacecraft, and the evolution of wind tunnel technology 
7

Volume 34, Number 2 Second Quarter 2017

in the United States, this district contains 

the world’s greatest collection of wind 

tunnels and remains a leading research 

facility for the aerospace industry. 

Contributing properties include

• the 7- by 10-Foot Wind Tunne

Number 1 and Army Aeromechanics 

Lab Technical Services Building;

• the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics

Complex, 40- by 80-Foot and 80- 

120-Foot Wind Tunnels

• the 6- by 6-Foot Supersonic Win

Tunnel; and

• the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel 

Complex.1

Machinists work in the Technical Services Building during World War II. Though not a wind 

tunnel, this property was included in the Wind Tunnel Historic District for its function as a 

production facility for equipment used to support testing and research, notably for aircraft and 

spacecraft models used in tunnel testing. (Photo credit: NASA/NACA)

Ames Administration Building (N-200):

Completed in 1943, this building has 

historical significance due to its role 

as administrative headquarters for the 

intensive research and development 

efforts undertaken at the NACA Ames Aeronautical 

Laboratory facility and later NASA Ames Research 

Center—key research facilities that made nationally 

significant contributions to the fields of aeronautics, 

aeronautical theory, aviation, and space exploration. 

Smith J. De France, a pioneer in aeronautics research 

and development, was responsible for the initial development of the NACA facility and served as its first 

director from 1940 to 1965, leading the facility to 

national prominence for the scientific research conducted there.

Arc Jet Complex (N-238, N-238, and Steam Vacuum 

System [SVS]): The complex is nationally significant 

for its scientific and engineering contributions to arc 

jet research and development at Ames. Built between 

1962 and 1964, the three-unit complex is also associated with the research and development in the area

of Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) for NASA’s 

spaceflight programs, including the exceptional role 

1 This complex is also a National Historic Landmark and an 

International Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark.

of the 60-megawatt Interaction Heating Facility

(IHF) arc jet in developing and refining TPS for the 

Space Shuttle Program (SSP). The Arc Jet Complex 

was central to every NASA space transportation and 

planetary program including Mercury, Apollo, SSP, 

Viking, Pioneer-Venus, Galileo, Mars Pathfinder,

Stardust, National Aero-Space Plane (NASP), X-33

X-34, Slender Hypervelocity Aerothermodynamic

Research Probes (SHARP)–B1 and B2, X-37, and the

Mars Exploration Rovers. The complex meets Criteria 

Consideration G based on the exceptional significance 

of the facility’s contributions to nationally and internationally important space science programs, and it 

meets the internal evaluation standards established by 

NASA for Resources Associated with the SSP.

Flight and Guidance Simulation Laboratory (N243): 

This laboratory is nationally significant in the areas of 

science, invention, and engineering. Covering over 

108,000 square feet of space, the large Brutalist-style

building housed some of the Center’s most unique air

and spacecraft research, testing, and training facilities, 

including the Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS), the 
8

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

world’s largest and most sophisticated motion-based

simulator. The intensive research and development 

work undertaken in the laboratory made crucial contributions to the fields of aeronautics, aeronautical 

theory, aviation, and spaceflight. The VMS in particular is exceptionally significant within the context 

of the SSP for its contribution to the development 

and operation of the Space Shuttle orbiter in providing essential astronaut training in an accurately 

simulated orbiter.

More information can be found on the Ames Research 

Center Historic Preservation Office Web site at https://

historicproperties.arc.nasa.gov.

Shown are historic properties located within the Ames campus. (Photo credit: Page & Turnbull, 2016)
9

Volume 34, Number 2 Second Quarter 2017

ARMSTRONG FLIGHT RESEARCH 

CENTER (AFRC)

Edwards Air Force Base, California

By Christian Gelzer

The Armstrong Flight Research Center history office 

helped put together a display on female computers 

that went up in a local movie theater that was showing 

Hidden Figures. This display was to promote awareness 

of the Center and of female computers in general; the 

Center employed computers who came west from 

Langley. It then expanded the workforce by hiring 

locally to render raw flight data into something aeronautical engineers could use. The display garnered 

about 60,000 views.

We continue to wrestle with the reference collection’s 

future since it resides in a building slated for destruction later this calendar year. Ideally, we’d like to get 

the collection digitized, after which it could be physically moved to the National Archives and Records 

Administration, but doing so takes funds we haven’t 

yet rustled up. The individual who is allocated to the 

collection part-time has finished creating a box-leve

electronic catalog, which is the first step no matter 

what turns out to be the collection’s fate.

GLENN RESEARCH CENTER (GRC)

Cleveland, Ohio

By Anne Mills

The popularity of the movie Hidden Figures has been 

an opportunity to highlight our own hidden figure, 

Annie Easley. In 1955, Easley began her career as a 

human computer doing computations for researchers 

and engineers. This involved analyzing problems and 

performing calculations by hand. Her earliest work 

involved running simulations for the newly planned 

Plum Brook Reactor Facility. When hired, she was 

one of only four African American employees at the 

facility. In a 2001 NASA Johnson Space Center Oral 

History Project interview, Easley said that she had 

never set out to be a pioneer: “I just have my own 

attitude. I’m out here to get the job done, and I knew 

I had the ability to do it, and that’s where my focus 

was,” she said.

When human computers were replaced by machines, 

Easley evolved along with the technology. She developed and implemented code used in researching 

energy-conversion systems, analyzing alternative

power technology, including the battery technology 

that was used for early hybrid vehicles, as well as for 

the Centaur upper stage rocket. For her contributions, 

she was inducted into the NASA Glenn Hall of Fame’s 

inaugural class in 2015.

The history office has been providing materials from 

our archival collection in support of a number of 

events tied to Hidden Figures and human computers. 

Some of our Annie Easley photos and audio footage were included at a special presentation during 

a Cleveland Cavaliers basketball game and also in 

an educational commercial spot on kids’ television 

network Nickelodeon.

Annie Easley is pictured at the Plum Brook Reactor Facility. (Photo 

credit: NASA)
10

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

JOHNSON SPACE CENTER (JSC)

Houston, Texas

By John Uri

The JSC History Office is now in its permanent 

location on the third floor of Building 1, the main 

administration building on campus. After our move 

on 25 January, we quickly settled in so we could host 

an open house on 8 February. It was a way for us to 

thank everyone who had had a part in making the 

design, construction, and move a success, as well as 

the Center management for their continuing support. 

(Besides, it was as good an excuse as any for throwing 

a party!) We had an excellent turnout, and we all had 

a good time.

One item that has lately occupied a great deal of our 

time is the restoration of the historic Apollo Mission 

Control Center. The JSC historian, Dr. Jennifer 

Ross-Nazzal, has spent many hours in meetings

discussing what JSC would like visitors to see, hear, 

and experience when visiting the National Historic 

Landmark. In April, JSC hosted a consultation meeting about the restoration with the Texas State Historic 

Preservation Officer, the National Park Service, and 

the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation as part 

of the Section 106 provisions of the National Historic 

Preservation Act.

We continue to expand our 

extensive oral history collection 

by conducting interviews for 

several customers. Along with 

the ongoing projects for the 

NASA Headquarters History 

Division and the JSC Knowledge 

Management Office, we received 

additional funding from the 

NASA Headquarters Science 

Mission Directorate (SMD) 

for a new oral history project. 

Interviews are under way and 

being scheduled with current and 

former SMD personnel who have 

contributed to the success of their 

directorate and their significant science missions. To 

manage the additional workload, Rebecca Wright was 

hired as a part-time consultant—with her significant

experience and background, she is a welcome addition 

to the team.

At JSC, Jennifer Ross-Nazzal and Sandra Johnson

conducted several interviews in an ongoing series with 

Bill McArthur, former astronaut and Director of the 

JSC Safety and Mission Assurance Directorate. The 

interviews with Bill are planned to continue through 

June. Also, an oral history has been scheduled for 

the June-July timeframe with JSC Center Director

Ellen Ochoa.

ONE ITEM THAT HAS 

LATELY OCCUPIED A GREAT 

DEAL OF OUR TIME IS THE 

RESTORATION OF THE 

HISTORIC APOLLO MISSION 

CONTROL CENTER.

This photo shows the JSC Mission Control Center during the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission.
11

Volume 34, Number 2 Second Quarter 2017

During the month of April, the team conducted several interviews with subjects for both Headquarters 

offices. These interviews were held in Florida; at 

NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC; and in 

New Mexico. Future interviews are planned at Ames 

Research Center and the NASA Jet Propulsion 

Laboratory during the week of the History Program 

Review in May and, in June, at NASA Headquarters 

and Goddard Space Flight Center.

On 8 and 9 March, Jennifer Ross-Nazzal, Sandra

Johnson, and John Uri attended a two-day Project

Management for History Professionals class sponsored by the American Association of State and Local 

Historians (AASLH). The host organization was the 

Sixth Floor Museum in Dallas, and the class was 

held on the seventh floor of the old Book Depository 

Building from which Lee Harvey Oswald fired the 

fateful shots that killed President John F. Kennedy on 

22 November 1963. The class was very informative, 

teaching project-management principles and skills

while using real-life projects. We had a chance to visit

the Sixth Floor Museum, and the hosts gave a tour of 

their library and video studio, where they conduct oral 

histories. There were also opportunities for networking with attendees who represented museums and 

other organizations.

Jennifer and Sandra attended the Society for History in 

the Federal Government (SHFG) Annual Conference 

on 13 April, held at the National Archives Building 

in Washington, DC. The theme of the meeting was 

“A Return to the Archives,” with welcoming remarks 

by David Ferriero, the Archivist of the United States. 

Panel sessions covered topics ranging from using 

archival holdings to create an online presence for 

the U.S. House of Representatives’ History, Art & 

Archives Web site to setting up both physical and 

digital exhibits for federal agencies, incorporating oral 

histories, photos, audio, and video. Jennifer serves on 

SHFG’s Thomas Jefferson Prize committee. The prize 

recognizes excellence in documentary editions and 

research tools (indices, finding aids, and so forth) that 

make a significant contribution to the history of the 

federal government.

LANGLEY RESEARCH CENTER (LARC)

Hampton, Virginia

On 9 May 2017, NASA Langley staff helped the 

Headquarters History Division surprise Gail Langevin 

with the NASA Headquarters History Program Award 

in recognition of her outstanding career as history 

liaison and public affairs specialist. Gail will retire in 

June after 34 years of NASA service. We will miss her, 

and we wish her luck.

Gail Langevin, recipient of a NASA Headquarters History Program Award, stands with 

members of the Langley communications team.

MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER 

(MSFC)

Huntsville, Alabama

By Brian Odom

The Marshall history program was in full swing 

this past quarter, supporting ongoing historical 

preservation projects, conducting oral history interviews, and processing archival collections. Marshall 

Archivist Jordan Whetstone is currently processing 

the papers of Dr. Jerry Weinberg, a longtime NASA 

scientific investigator who worked on many programs, including Skylab’s Experiment S073; the Long 

Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF); and a photoelectric polarimeter that was used during the STS-

(Columbia) Space Shuttle mission to determine the 
12

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

brightness, polarization, and color of the diffuse astronomical background. The collection contains numerous technical reports, articles, and correspondence 

related to these, as well as a range of other experiments.

Several oral history interviews were conducted over 

the last quarter. One interview was with Acting 

President of Dynetics Technical Services, Inc., Steve 

Cook. Cook formerly served as Program Manager 

for the Ares Program at Marshall. The majority of 

this conversation focused on Cook’s work prior to 

Ares, including his time with the Next Generation 

Launch Technology (NGLT) Office and the Advanced 

Space Transportation Programs (ASTP). Cook provided valuable insight into technology development 

at Marshall from the Return to Flight effort after the 

Challenger disaster through the Ares Program, highlighting important management lessons learned and 

political transitions.

Marshall and the University of Alabama in Huntsville’s 

(UAH) History Department recently hosted 

the “NASA in the ‘Long’ Civil Rights Movement” 

symposium. The event was held 16–17 March 2017 

at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, 

Alabama, and included 22 presentations on a wide 

range of topics addressing issues of race, gender, and 

labor as they applied to the space program during the 

period of the “long” civil rights movement. The goal 

of this symposium was to provide more context for 

the voices and stories and to develop a better understanding of the intersection of NASA and the civil 

rights movement.

MSFC Deputy Director Jody Singer addresses the “NASA in the ‘Long’ Civil Rights Movement” symposium on 17 March 2017 at the U.S. Space & Rocket 

Center. (Photo credit: NASA MSFC/Emmett Given)

The presentations were certainly stimulating and 

incredibly diverse in topical and geographic scope. 

Dr. Brenda Plummer (History, University of 

Wisconsin, Madison) gave an enlightening talk on 

the “intersection of the struggle for racial equality 

and aerospace exploration as both constituted potent 

narratives of freedom in the American imaginary.” 

Plummer disputed the assumption that NASA was 

an “instrument of modernization” that was “implicitly 

allied with the civil rights movement.” NASA Chief 

Historian Dr. Bill Barry presented an overview of 

how the U.S. struggle over civil rights and the space 
13

Volume 34, Number 2 Second Quarter 2017

program were viewed and used by the Soviet Union. 

National Air and Space Museum curator Dr. Cathleen 

Lewis explored how this conflict reemerged in the 

1980s with the race between the United States and 

the Soviet Union to place into space the first person 

of color.

Several of the papers took a comparative approach. A 

discussion from Tim Pennycuff (University of Alabama 

at Birmingham) detailed how massive amounts of 

federal funds pouring into Birmingham for research, 

health training, and medical treatment (such as the 

funding that would later arrive with the Apollo program) provided both a justification and a mandate for 

integration at the university. Marsha Freeman (independent scholar) examined earlier efforts at desegregation in the region by the Tennessee Valley Authority. 

Dr. Matthew Downs (University of Mobile) argued 

that, in Huntsville, civic and business leaders moderated their stance on desegregation and “accommodated the forces of change” out of economic necessity. 

A final panel discussion examined ways those engaged 

in public history can create more inclusive narratives 

and collections going forward. In his talk titled “And 

Where Do We Go from Here? Ensuring the Past and 

Future History of Space,” Dr. Jonathan Coopersmith 

(Texas A&M University) highlighted the problematic 

aspects of locating and preserving materials generated 

by minority movements.

The symposium was open to the public, a fact that 

enabled many welcome and productive conversations 

on a difficult topic. The interplay between the audience and panelists created a forum for drawing parallels between the era of the civil rights movement and 

current discussions of equal employment in the STEM 

fields. Veronica Henderson, a symposium moderator 

and interim head archivist at the Historically Black 

Alabama A&M University, commented, “As historians, we are able to add layers to the conversation, to 

connect the dots. Having historians get together and 

relate the different stories to a point in history, we can 

uncover more. We can explore things not previously 

thought about or considered, and putting these stories 

into context allows us to see things from a different 

point of view.” With the recent interest in stories like 

those of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and 

Mary Jackson, as portrayed in the film Hidden Figures, 

we hope to continue to add new voices and greater 

historical context to such a critical topic.

STENNIS SPACE CENTER (SSC)

Stennis Space Center, Mississippi

By Jessica Herr

Stennis: Part of Mississippi’s 200-Year History

This December, Mississippi will turn 200 years old. 

The birthday party started 

in April with the southern 

bicentennial celebration in 

Gulfport, Mississippi, and 

will culminate this December 

with a celebration in the state 

capital of Jackson. SSC had 

a presence at the Mississippi 

Bicentennial Celebration in 

Gulfport. The history of the 

area where SSC now sits can 

be traced back to 1817, well 

before Mississippi entered 

statehood. There were five 

towns located in what is now the acoustic buffer zone 

that surrounds SSC: Napoleon, Logtown, Gainesville, 

Santa Rosa, and Westonia.

History Office Coordinator Jessica Herr greets visitors to an informational exhibit at the Mississippi 

Bicentennial Celebration in Gulfport. (Photo credit: 

Tessa Keating)

The town of Napoleon began with 640 acres granted 

by the British government to John Claudius Favre 

in 1767. By 1808, John had transferred the land to 

his son, Simon Favre. Simon built the first house 

and store in what would become the small town of 

Napoleon. The town’s claim to fame was a large home 

named Parade Rest that was more than 3,000 square 

feet with thousands of azaleas and camellias decorating the landscape.

Nearby Logtown had 3,000 residents at its peak, most 

of whom worked for the lumber industry, which was 

the most important industry in the area at the time. 

The earliest owner of what would become bustling 
14

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

Santa Rosa was one of the more distinctive towns in 

the buffer zone. At its largest, it had only a handful of 

homes, but what it lacked in population, it made up 

for in character. In the town were a couple of stores 

and churches, a post office, a one-room school house,

and several bars. These “dens of iniquity” were closed 

and chased out of town many times, but the bars 

always reopened. There was quite a bit of illegal activity going on at the bars for the time, one being the 

sale of whiskey. Mississippi was a dry state at the time, 

and moonshiners populated the area surrounding SSC 

until the mid-1960s

The town of Westonia was named for the lumber 

tycoon Horatio Weston, who founded the H. Weston 

Lumber Company. Westonia grew around the timber 

industry and also housed a repair station for railroad 

flat cars and steam engines. Back then, it was a small 

town with churches, stores, one hotel, a small school, 

and a couple of wells used for the steam engines that 

traveled through the town. After 1930, in the midst of 

the Great Depression, the timber industry in the area 

shut down, making the town virtually nonexistent by 

the 1960s.

On 1 November 1961, on the grounds of the Logtown 

elementary school, U.S. Senator John C. Stennis of 

Mississippi gave a speech to the 1,500 people from 

the surrounding area. Stennis spoke about the government project to build a rocket engine testing center 

on their land and what the government was asking 

the people to do. “There is always the thorn before the 

rose;...you have got to make some sacrifices, but you 

will be taking part in greatness,” he said. He billed it 

as a “call to arms” in the space race against the Soviet 

Union. Because of the sacrifices of the families in 

the surrounding towns to allow construction of the 

rocket engine test site, a local refrain was born: “If you 

want to go to the Moon, you first have to go through 

Hancock County, Mississippi.”

Parade Rest is seen here with owners John and Neita Wheeler. (Photo credit: Hancock County 

Historical Society)

Logtown was Jean Baptiste Rousseve, who was given 

the land in 1788. Records relating to this time and 

place are minimal, but it is thought that in 1845, 

E. G. Goddard built the first log mill there. The town 

would grow until 1930, by which time the supply 

of commercial timber was depleted. With the Great 

Depression under way and the railroad passing north 

of the town, only 250 residents remained by 1961.

Gainesville was the only town that lay in what is now 

the operational portion of SSC. It began in 1810 with 

a land grant by Dr. Ambrose Gaines for more than 

500 acres in what was then Spanish territory. Gaines 

laid out his plan for a new town, initially naming it 

Gaines Bluff. Just prior to the Battle of New Orleans 

in 1813, Andrew Jackson marched his troops through 

Gainesville so as not to be detected by British troops. 

Gainesville grew due to the shipping and logging 

industries along the Pearl River, but in 1883, the 

Southern Railroad Line between New Orleans and 

Meridian, Mississippi, bypassed the town by 10 miles. 

By 1961, when NASA was looking to build the new 

rocket engine test facility, Gainesville had only 35 

families left.
15

Volume 34, Number 2 Second Quarter 2017

OTHER AEROSPACE HISTORY NEWS

By Mike Ciancone

Thanks to Dr. Trevor Sorensen, who was Lunar Mission Manager for the 1994 Clementine mission to the Moon, the Pacific Regional Planetary Data 

Center (PRPDC) has acquired much of the original 

documentation for this mission. PRPDC is hosted by 

the Hawai’i Institute of Geophysics and Planetology, 

University of Hawai’i at Manoa. The PRPDC is one of 

17 NASA Regional Planetary Image Facilities (RPIFs) 

around the world, with the PRPDC archiving planetary data that serve the planetary research and education communities throughout the Pacific nations. 

PRPDC strives to provide users of NASA planetary 

data with some of the latest information about ongoing NASA missions, as well as access to these datasets 

and derived products that help with their interpretation. Ultimately, they will digitize these materials and 

make them available on their Web site, but for now, 

they are just paper copies. The list of materials in the 

Clementine collection can be viewed online at https://

www.higp.hawaii.edu/prpdc/Clementine.html.

SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL AIR AND 

SPACE MUSEUM

By Valerie Neal, Curator and Chair, Space History Department

“Revitalization” and “transformation”—the key words 

at the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) this 

year, and for the next few years—are keeping everyone in the Space History Department busier than 

ever. The 40-year-old building on the National Mal

will soon undergo a revitalization from the outside 

inward: new façade stone, new vestibules for security 

screening, new wiring and plumbing, new windows 

and stronger floors, and redesigned office spaces will 

be installed without closing the museum to visitors. 

At the same time, all 23 exhibit galleries will undergo 

transformation as they get emptied and reimagined, 

making every staff member part of at least one exhibit 

team involved in writing scripts, choosing artifacts 

and images, developing videos and interactive features, 

and working out floor plans and gallery designs. The 

first three new space exhibits are in work: “Destination 

Moon,” “Exploring the Planets,” and “One World 

Connected (Planet Earth).” Additionally, there is 

a strong space component in “A Nation of Speed.” 

More information about these exhibits will become 

available as they are developed.

...ALL 23 EXHIBIT GALLERIES WILL UNDERGO TRANSFORMATION AS THEY GET 

EMPTIED AND REIMAGINED, 

MAKING EVERY STAFF MEMBER PART OF AT LEAST ONE 

EXHIBIT TEAM INVOLVED IN 

WRITING SCRIPTS, CHOOSING ARTIFACTS AND IMAGES, 

DEVELOPING VIDEOS AND 

INTERACTIVE FEATURES, AND 

WORKING OUT FLOOR PLANS 

AND GALLERY DESIGNS.

Research

In the scholarly realm, our space historians continue 

to publish their research and make presentations at 

conferences. Martin Collins, Jennifer Levasseur, and 

Margaret Weitekamp went to London to speak at 

the annual Artefacts conference, jointly organized by 

NASM, the Science Museum of London, and the 

Deutsches Museum. They also visited exhibits in various museums and checked up on NASM artifacts 

on loan there. Paul Ceruzzi presented two research 
16

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

papers at a conference on early digital computing at 

the University of Siegen in Germany.

Michael Neufeld gave a talk called “The Difficult Birth 

of NASA’s Pluto Mission” at the joint meeting of the 

American Astronomical Society Division of Planetary 

Sciences and the European Planetary Science Congress in 

Pasadena, California, and at the Johns Hopkins University 

Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland.

Matthew Shindell attended the annual meeting of the 

History of Science Society (HSS), appearing on two 

panels, delivering one paper, and meeting with fellow 

members of the HSS Advocacy Committee for history 

in the federal government.

David DeVorkin chaired a history session at the 

American Astronomical Society’s annual meeting and 

gave a workshop at the University of Virginia on historical documentation of astronomical instruments. 

Michael Neufeld, Cathleen Lewis, and Margaret 

Weitekamp participated in the “NASA in the ‘Long’ 

Civil Rights Movement” symposium at NASA’s 

Marshall Space Flight Center.

Among a variety of public talks, Cathleen Lewis 

presented a Smithsonian Associates program about 

the International Space Station titled “A Partnership 

That’s Out of This World: Navigating Space Relations.” 

Valerie Neal accompanied a six-day Smithsonian

Journeys tour of Iceland as expert lecturer on the 

Northern Lights; she gave three talks about the aurorae, the solar-terrestrial environment and relationship,

and the history of studying these phenomena.

Recent Publications

The German edition of Paul Ceruzzi’s 2012 book, 

Computing: A Concise History (Computer: Eine Kurze 

Geschichte), was released by the Berlin University Press, 

making it the fifth translation of this popular book. 

Martin Collins published “The Global in the 1980s 

and 1990s: Liquid Modernity, Routines, and the 

Case of Motorola’s Iridium Satellite Communications 

Venture” in Daniel M. G. Raff and Philip Scranton, 

eds., The Emergence of Routines: Entrepreneurship, 

Organization, and Business History. The National 

Geospatial-Intelligence Agency published Jim David’s

article, “CORONA and the Search for ICBMs,” in 

its Geospatial Intelligence Review, and the National 

Security Archives Web site published his article, 

“Soviet Missiles and Space Programs in the President’s 

Daily Briefs.” Also, his article “How Much Detail Do 

We Need To See? High and Very High Resolution 

Photography, GAMBIT, and the Manned Orbiting 

Laboratory” was published online by Intelligence 

and National Security. Teasel Muir-Harmony published an article, “American Foreign Policy and the

Space Race,” in John Butler, ed., Oxford Research 

Encyclopedia of American History. A popular version 

of Margaret Weitekamp’s scholarly article titled “The 

Image of Scientists in The Big Bang Theory” appeared 

in Physics Today.

Collections

Newly on display at the Udvar-Hazy Center is the

reconstructed Skylab Apollo Telescope Mount (ATM) 

sunshield and canister, which is suspended directly 

above the reassembled ATM Spar containing many of 

the backup solar telescopes that were intended for a 

successor Skylab mission. Also, the Apollo Command 

Module Columbia can be seen in the Restoration 

Shop, where it is being examined, cleaned, and conserved before being installed in a new case and going 

on a 50th anniversary national tour that begins at 

Space Center Houston this October. The Smithsonian 

Digital Projects Office (DPO) commenced 3D scanning of the interior and exterior of Space Shuttle 

orbiter Discovery, using a variety of devices to develop 

an extraordinarily high-resolution dataset for multiple uses, including 3D visualization and printing.

Cathleen Lewis acquired the spacesuit and support 

system used by high-altitude parachuting record

holder Alan Eustace and led a team that prepared its 

display at the Udvar-Hazy Center

Public Programs

Our What’s New in Aerospace monthly programs in 

the Moving Beyond Earth gallery continue to highlight NASA missions and personalities. Popular recent 

programs focused on the Solar TErrestrial RElations 
17

Volume 34, Number 2 Second Quarter 2017

Observatory (STEREO) with retired astronaut John Grunsfeld and four solar scientists, on astronaut and author Tom Jones, 

and on astronaut Jeff Williams. Jennifer 

Levasseur plans and hosts many of these 

programs. Likewise, our Smithsonian Stars 

and Exploring Space lecture series, largely 

planned and hosted by David DeVorkin, 

draw leading scientists to talk about 

news-making missions and discoveries.

These free public lectures bring interested 

audiences into the museum after hours. We 

also provide live commentary on launches 

to the International Space Station, docking, 

and crew returns when they occur during 

the museum’s open hours. The museum 

continues to host the periodic Space Policy 

Forum (organized by Teasel Muir-Harmony)

and the History Seminar in Contemporary 

Science and Technology (organized by Tom 

Lassman), which bring together historians 

and social scientists in the DC area for stimulating discussions.

Space History curators just wrapped up 

work on a six-part documentary series for

the Smithsonian Channel that addresses 

some of the thorniest engineering challenges 

in aerospace history and the people who 

worked hard to solve them. Originally called 

Engineering Space, the programs will be broadcast as 

America’s Secret Space Heroes, featuring a number of 

NASA staff, both past and present.

Museum visitors leave flower arrangements beside John Glenn’s Friendship 7 capsule. 

(Photo credit: Andres Almeida)

Personnel News

Dr. Teasel Muir-Harmony joined the Space History

Department as a NASM curator in late 2016. She 

earned her Ph.D. at the Massachusetts Institute of 

Technology (MIT) in 2014 and served as an associate 

historian and postdoctoral fellow for two years at the 

American Institute of Physics.

Dr. Roger D. Launius retired from government service and left the museum at the turn of the new year 

after a long career with the Air Force, NASA, and 

NASM. He remains active as an independent historian and consultant.

Dr. Kathryn D. Sullivan is resident at the museum 

as the 2017 Charles Lindbergh Chair in Aerospace 

History. She is working on a book about how the 

idea of servicing spacecraft in orbit became embodied 

in the Hubble Space Telescope’s design and in the 

specialized extravehicular activity crews who carried 

out its servicing missions.

Finally, NASM acknowledged with sorrow the deaths 

of our good friends John Glenn and Gene Cernan by 

placing floral arrangements and memorial panels near 

their respective Mercury and Apollo spacecraft. We 

will miss their visits and their devotion to the museum.
18

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

COMMERCIALLY PUBLISHED WORKS

By Chris Gamble

Stamping the Earth from Space, by Renato Dicati 

(Springer, January 2017). This book presents a historical and philatelic survey of Earth exploration 

from space. Stamping the Earth from Space presents 

the photographic results obtained by the thousands 

of satellites launched by the Soviet Union (and later 

Russia) and the United States and also those of the 

many missions carried out by the European Space 

Agency (ESA), individual European countries, Japan, 

China, India, and the many emerging space nations. 

It contains almost 1,100 color reproductions of philatelic items. In addition to topical stamps and thematic 

postal documents, the book provides an extensive 

review of astrophilatelic items. Prominent space missions are documented through event covers and cards 

canceled at launch sites, tracking stations, research 

laboratories, and mission control facilities.

Explore/Create: My Life in Pursuit of New Frontiers, 

Hidden Worlds, and the Creative Spark, by Richard 

Garriott de Cayeux and David Fisher (William 

Morrow, January 2017). This is a new memoir from 

entrepreneur and gaming pioneer Richard Garriott.

Amazing Stories of the Space Age: True Tales of Nazis 

in Orbit, Soldiers on the Moon, Orphaned Martian 

Robots, and Other Fascinating Accounts from the 

Annals of Spaceflight, by Rod Pyle (Prometheus 

Books, January 2017). The unusual and bizarre projects described in this book were not merely flights 

of fancy dreamed up by space enthusiasts, but actual 

missions planned by leading aeronautical engineers. 

Some were designed but not built; others were built 

but not flown; and a few were flown to failure but 

little reported. These stories, complemented by photos 

and illustrations, tell of a time when the race to the 

Moon outweighed other considerations.

Routledge Handbook of Space Law, edited by Ram 

S. Jakhu and Paul Stephen Dempsey (Routledge, 

November 2016). This handbook is a reference work 

providing a comparative overview of space law. The 

book highlights emerging legal issues and summarizes the existing state of knowledge on a range of 

topics; it also discusses the gaps and inconsistencies in 

existing law.

Next Stop Mars: The Why, How, and When of 

Human Missions, by Giancarlo Genta (Springer

Praxis, January 2017). This book covers the possible 

crewed mission to Mars first discussed in the 1950s, 

addressing historic and future plans to visit the Red 

Planet. Considering the environmental, engineering, 

and design challenges needed for a successful trip, 

it covers multiple aspects of a possible mission and 

outpost as presented from other space agencies and 

private companies.

Mars One: Hype and Hubris, by Erik Seedhouse 

(Springer-Praxis, November 2016). This book dissects

the publicity of the Mars One venture. Every aspect 

of the mission design is examined, from the selection 

process to the mission architecture.

The Final Mission: Preserving NASA’s Apollo Sites, 

by Lisa Westwood, Beth Laura O’Leary, and Milford 

Wayne Donaldson (University Press of Florida, 

February 2017). Across the American landscape and 

on the lunar surface, many facilities and landing sites 

linked to the Apollo program remain unprotected. 

This book explores these key locations, reframes the 

footprints and items left on the Moon as cultural 

resources, and calls for the urgent preservation of this 

space heritage.

The Traveler’s Guide to Space: For One-Way Settlers 

and Round-Trip Tourists, by Neil F. Comins 

(Columbia University Press, February 2017). Comins 

attempts to outline the many technical challenges of 

space travel in clear language for all readers. He synthesizes key issues and cutting-edge research in astronomy, physics, biology, psychology, and sociology to

create a manual for what could be the ultimate voyage.
19

Volume 34, Number 2 Second Quarter 2017

Astronaut Corps of Malaysia, by Captain Faiz Kamaludin 

(Partridge Singapore, February 2017). On 10 October 

2007, a young Malaysian was successfully launched into 

space, becoming that nation’s first Angkasawan (astronaut). The Malaysian government had secured a seat on 

board the three-seater Soyuz capsule before it blasted off

from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Herein 

you will find excerpts and short stories from some of the 

young candidates and like-minded individuals vying

for the coveted top spot of Malaysian Angkasawan. The 

top 59 candidates of the astronaut program are now all 

members of the Astronautical Association of Malaysia, 

also known as the Astronaut Corps of Malaysia. This is 

their story on their efforts to become the first Malaysian 

sent into space.

Chandra’s Cosmos: Dark Matter, Black Holes, and 

Other Wonders Revealed by NASA’s Premier X-Ray 

Observatory, by Wallace H. Tucker (Smithsonian 

Books, March 2017). On 23 July 1999, the Chandra 

X-ray Observatory, the most powerful x-ray telescop

ever built, launched aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. 

Since then, Chandra has given us a view of the universe that is largely hidden from telescopes sensitive 

only to visible light. In this book, the author uses 

a series of short, connected stories to describe the 

telescope’s exploration of the hot, high-energy face

of the universe. The book is organized in three parts: 

“The Big”—covering the cosmic web, dark energy, 

dark matter, and massive clusters of galaxies; “The 

Bad”—exploring neutron stars, stellar black holes, and 

supermassive black holes; and “The Beautiful”—discussing stars, exoplanets, and life. Tucker explores the 

implications of these observations in a narrative aimed 

at space buffs and general readers alike.

Astronaut: 1961 Onwards (All Roles and Nationalities) 

(Owners’ Workshop Manual), by Ken McTaggart 

(Haynes Publishing UK, February 2017). The book 

begins with early ideas about astronauts as portrayed 

in science fiction and in films. It goes on to cover the 

recruitment and application process to become an 

astronaut with NASA and the European Space Agency, 

as well as the qualifications and fitness level required 

for various astronaut roles. The reader is taken through 

training for different types of astronaut roles (pilot, 

scientist, payload specialist, spacewalker, Moonwalker, 

etc.), and the different types of missions are described.

Apollo in the Age of Aquarius, by Neil M. Maher 

(Harvard University Press, March 2017). The summer 

of 1969 saw two major events: astronauts landing 

on the Moon for the first time and hippie hordes 

descending on Woodstock, New York, for a legendary music festival. For the author, the conjunction of 

these two era-defining events is not entirely coincidental. This book shows how the celestial aspirations

of NASA’s Apollo space program were tethered to terrestrial concerns, from the civil rights struggle and the 

antiwar movement to environmentalism, feminism, 

and the counterculture.

Worlds Fantastic, Worlds Familiar: A Guided Tour 

of the Solar System, by Bonnie J. Buratti (Cambridge 

University Press, March 2017). Join the author, a planetary astronomer, on a personal tour of NASA’s latest 

discoveries. Moving through the solar system past 

Mercury, Venus, and Mars; past comets and asteroids; 

past the moons of the giant planets; past Pluto; and 

on to exoplanets, the author gives vivid descriptions of 

landforms that are similar to those found on Earth but 

are more fantastic. Sulfur-rich volcanoes and lakes on

Io, active gullies on Mars, huge ice plumes and tar-like

deposits on the moons of Saturn, hydrocarbon rivers 

and lakes on Titan, and nitrogen glaciers on Pluto are 

just some of the marvels that await readers.

Space Shuttle: Developing an Icon 1972–2013, by 

Dennis Jenkins (Dennis R. Jenkins, February 2017). 

During 30 years and 135 missions, the Space Shuttle 

carried more crewmembers to orbit than all other launch 

systems from all other countries combined and carried 

more than 4.5 million pounds of payload to orbit. The 

Space Shuttle launched a variety of commercial and 

military satellites, planetary probes to Venus and Jupiter, 

and three of the four NASA Great Observatories, 

including the pièce de résistance, the Hubble Space 

Telescope. This publication is a three-volume set, 1,584

pages long, with more than 2,900 illustrations. The 

volumes are packaged in a slipcase. Volume 1 is titled 

Setting the Stage; volume 2, Technical Description; and 

volume 3, The Flight Campaign.
20

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

Books for Young Readers

Newsletter contributor Michael Ciancone wishes to 

thank Chris Gamble and Joni Wilson for their assistance 

in compiling the below list.

Smithsonian Adventures in Space, by Courtney 

Acampora (Silver Dolphin Books).

Apollo 11 Moon Landing: An Interactive Space 

Exploration Adventure, by Thomas Adamson 

(Capstone Press, You Choose: Space series).

Space Dictionary for Kids: The Everything Guide for 

Kids Who Love Space, by Amy Anderson and Brian 

Anderson (Prufrock Press).

The Ultimate Book of Space, by Anne-Sophie

Baumann (Twirl).

Dawn Probe: A Robot Explores the Dwarf Planet Ceres, 

by James Bow (PowerKids Press, Robots Exploring 

Space series).

New Horizons: A Robot Explores Pluto and the 

Kuiper Belt, by James Bow (PowerKids Press, Robots 

Exploring Space series).

Space Visual Encyclopedia, by DK (DK Children).

Spaceships and Rockets, by DK (DK Children).

Destination: Space, by Christoph Englert (Wide Eyed 

Editions).

Voyager Probes: Robots on an Interstellar Mission, by 

Robyn Hardyman (PowerKids Press, Robots Exploring 

Space series).

Mission to Space, by John Herrington (White Dog Press).

Exploring Beyond Our Solar System, by Patricia 

Hutchison (Child’s World, Wonders of Space series).

The First Moon Landing, by Patricia Hutchison 

(Child’s World, Wonders of Space series).

The Mars Rovers, by Patricia Hutchison (Child’s 

World, Wonders of Space series).

Moonwalk: The Story of the Apollo 11 Moon Landing, 

by David Jenkins and Adrian Buckley (Circa Press).

Ask the Astronaut: A Galaxy of Astonishing Answers 

to Your Questions on Spaceflight, by Tom Jones 

(Smithsonian Books).

Mars Exploration Rovers: An Interactive Space 

Exploration Adventure, by Steve Kortenkamp 

(Capstone Press, You Explore: Space series).

The Stellar Story of Space Travel, by Patricia Lakin 

(Simon Spotlight, History of Fun Stuff series).

International Space Station: An Interactive Space 

Exploration Adventure, by Allison Lassieur (Capstone 

Press, You Choose: Space series).

Space Robots, by Ryan Nagelhout (PowerKids Press, 

Robots and Robotics series).

Think Like an Astronaut! How Do Rockets Work?, by 

Pfiffikus (Pfiffikus).

The International Space Station, by Arnold Ringstad 

(Child’s World, Wonders of Space series).

Space Missions of the 21st Century, by Arnold Ringstad 

(Child’s World, Wonders of Space series).

The Voyager Space Probes, by Arnold Ringstad 

(Child’s World, Wonders of Space series).

The Cassini Mission: Robots Exploring Saturn and 

Its Moon Titan, by Angela Royston (PowerKids Press, 

Robots Exploring Space series).

Rosetta Probe: A Robot’s Mission To Catch a Comet, by 

Robert Snedden (PowerKids Press, Robots Exploring 

Space series).
21

Volume 34, Number 2 Second Quarter 2017

Mars Probes: Robots Explore the Red Planet, by 

Kelly Spence (PowerKids Press, Robots Exploring 

Space series).

Space Race: An Interactive Space Exploration 

Adventure, by Rebecca Stefoff (Capstone Press, You 

Choose: Space series).

Rovers, by Jenny Fretland VanVoorst (Jump!, Space 

Explorers series).

Spacecraft, by Jenny Fretland VanVoorst (Jump!, 

Space Explorers series).

What’s It Like in Space? Stories from Astronauts Who’ve 

Been There, by Ariel Waldman (Chronicle Books).

To Burp or Not To Burp: A Guide to Your Body in 

Space, by Dave Williams and Loredana Cunti (Annick 

Press, Dr. Dave Astronaut series).

Disclaimer: The History Division wishes to thank volunteers Mike Ciancone and Chris Gamble, who compiled 

this section for us. Please note that the descriptions have 

been derived by Chris and Mike from promotional material and do not represent an endorsement by NASA.

UPCOMING MEETINGS

The AIAA Aviation and Aeronautics Forum and 

Exposition (AIAA Aviation 2017) will be held 5–9 

June 2017 in Denver, Colorado. Visit https://www.

aiaa-aviation.org for details.

The Kenneth E. Behring National History Day will 

be held 11–15 June 2017 in College Park, Maryland. 

Visit https://www.nhd.org for details.

The annual meeting for the Society for Historians of 

American Foreign Relations (SHAFR) will be held 

22–24 June 2017 in Arlington, Virginia. Visit http://

shafr.org/conferences/annual/2017-annual-meeting

for details.

The NASA Langley Centennial Symposium will be 

held 12–14 July 2017 in Hampton, Virginia. Visit 

https://www.nasa.gov/langley/100/events for details.

The annual meeting of the Society of American 

Archivists (ARCHIVES 2017) will be held 23–29 

July 2017 in Portland, Oregon. Visit http://www2.

archivists.org/am2017 for details.

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) 

AirVenture Oshkosh will be held 24–30 July 2017

in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Visit https://www.eaa.org/en/

airventure for details.

The annual meeting of the Society for the Social 

Studies of Science (4S) will be held 30 August–

2 September 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. Visit 

http://www.4sonline.org/meeting for details.

AIAA Space 2017 will be held 12–14 September 2017

in Orlando, Florida. Visit http://www.aiaa-space.org

for details.

The International Astronautical Congress will be 

held 25–29 September 2017 in Adelaide, Australia. 

Visit http://www.iafastro.org/events/iac/iac-2017

for details.

The annual meeting for the Society of the History 

of Technology will be held 26–29 October 2017

in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Visit http://www.

historyoftechnology.org for more details.
22

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

THE 1970 TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE

7 MARCH 1970—NASA LIGHTS THE 

SKY FOR SOLAR ECLIPSE

By Keith Koehler

Editor’s note: The original version of this article can be found 

online at https://www.nasa.gov/feature/wallops/2017/

march-7-1970-nasa-lights-the-sky-for-solar-eclipse.

As scientists gear up for a total solar eclipse that will 

cross the nation on 21 August 2017, some are also 

remembering the eclipse observations from 7 March 

1970, gathered during a bout of rapid-fire sounding

rocket launches. Known by some as the “eclipse of 

the century,” the 1970 eclipse offered a unique perspective for scientific studies as it was the first time a 

total eclipse in the United States passed over a permanent rocket launch facility—NASA’s Wallops Station 

(now NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility) on the coast 

of Virginia.

The path of the 1970 eclipse ran nearly the entire 

East Coast of the United States. At Wallops, the total 

eclipse lasted just over a minute, ending at 1:38 p.m. 

EST with 99.9 percent totality.

This pass offered scientists from NASA, four universities, and seven other research organizations a unique 

way to conduct meteorological, ionospheric, and solar 

physics experiments using 32 sounding rockets, also 

known as suborbital rockets.

The public converged on this unpopulated area to not 

only witness the total solar eclipse, but also to view 

the rockets that launched before, during, and after the 

eclipse. In addition, one rocket launched that was not 

part of the solar eclipse campaign.

Thousands of people descended on the eastern shore of Virginia to witness the solar eclipse and the sounding rocket launches. (Photo credit: NASA)

An estimated 12,000 to 14,000 people planted themselves across the bay from Wallops Island and the 
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Volume 34, Number 2 Second Quarter 2017

surrounding area for the spectacle. They were joined by 

members of Congress and also NASA’s Deputy Associate 

Administrator for Planning, Dr. Wernher von Braun.

The path of the total solar eclipse of 7 March 1970 ran along the East 

Coast of the United States. Thirty-two sounding rockets were launched to 

observe the event. (Photo credit: NASA)

Thirty-two sounding rockets were launched at Wallops to conduct meteorological, ionospheric, 

and solar physics experiments surrounding the solar eclipse event. (Photo credit: NASA)

The launch range at Wallops had been used for suborbital rocket launchings since 1945 and for orbital 

missions since 1960, beginning with the Scout rocket. 

However, pulling off eclipse science missions required 

more than the established launch infrastructure at 

the site.

Fourteen additional rocket launchers were installed at 

the site, bringing the total available for the campaign 

to 24. While the station had seven permanent radars, 

an additional six mobile radars were used. Although 

the launch range was equipped with a telemetry station, five mobile telemetry vans were needed. In addition, the Wallops telemetry ship, the USNS Range 

Recoverer, was stationed off the Virginia coast.

Eight different launch vehicles were used: Arcas, Nike

Apache, Nike-Cajun, Nike-Tomahawk, Nike-Iroquoi

Aerobee 150, Aerobee 170, and Javelin. These vehicles 

ranged in length from 8 to nearly 50 feet and could 

carry instruments to anywhere from 39 to almost 500 

miles in altitude.

The campaign began on 6 March 1970, at 4:30 a.m., 

with the launch of a Nike-Cajun rocket carrying

instruments to measure Earth’s ozone and water 

vapor. By 2 p.m., an additional three rockets had 

been launched.

Eclipse day began with the first rocket launch at 

9:30 a.m., followed by 24 additional launches that 

same day. Within the span of just 21 minutes, between 

1:26 and 1:47 p.m., 15 rockets were launched, some 

within seconds of each other.

The following day, 8 March, three more eclipse 

launches and the non-eclipse rocket launch took place

Project personnel reported that every rocket launched 

on time or within seconds of its scheduled flight. Only 

one experiment failed to return any scientific data.

In addition to the rockets launched at Wallops, two 

sounding rockets were launched from the White 
24

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

Sands Missile Range in 

New Mexico, which was 

outside the path of the 

eclipse, to gather comparative data.

A study of the effects of 

the eclipse was made using 

radio signals from the 

Mariner 6 probe, which 

was 235 million miles 

from Earth at the time, on 

the opposite side of the 

Sun. Six Earth-orbiting

satellites also observed the eclipse and its effects. On 

the ground, NASA-sponsored observations were

made from three locations: two in Virginia and one 

in Mexico.

While the 21 August 2017 eclipse may not provide 

the opportunity for a rocket spectacle such as that 

provided on 7 March 1970, NASA is gearing up to 

support a wide range of science observations. The 

2017 eclipse will take 

around an hour and a half 

to cross from Oregon to 

South Carolina, providing 

ample time for repeated 

measurements across the 

nation. Satellites, aircraft, 

weather balloons, and 

ground-based instruments

will gather atmospheric 

and solar measurements.

Nonscientists, too, will 

have the chance to observe 

a partial or total eclipse, weather permitting, from any 

of the nation’s contiguous 48 states.

For information on the August eclipse such as maps 

showing the eclipse path across the United States, the 

science being conducted, education materials, activities for the general public, and more, visit https://

eclipse2017.nasa.gov.

NONSCIENTISTS, TOO, 

WILL HAVE THE CHANCE 

TO OBSERVE A PARTIAL OR 

TOTAL ECLIPSE, WEATHER 

PERMITTING, FROM ANY OF 

THE NATION’S CONTIGUOUS 

48 STATES. 

NASA AND ART: A COLLABORATION COLORED WITH HISTORY

By Hannah Hotovy, NASA History Division Intern

The relationship between the arts and sciences, to some, may resemble that of oil and water. One 

captures the nature of the universe through objective 

reason and data, while the other relies on expression of 

emotion and divergence of perception. At this intersection, however, lies a rich visual history that continues to bring the far reaches of the known universe 

closer to home.

The earliest movement for collaboration between art 

and science at NASA came to fruition in the creation 

of the NASA Art Program in 1962, just four years after 

the Agency’s establishment. After viewing artist Bruce 

Stevenson’s commissioned portrait of Alan Shepard, 

the first American in space, NASA Administrator 

James Webb requested that the artist create portraits 

of every NASA astronaut. He also began to envision 

all that artists could do for NASA. In a March 1962 

memorandum to Hiden T. Cox, NASA’s public affairs 

director, Webb expressed his interest in creating a 

NASA art program to commemorate both past and 

future events. At a time when humankind was just 

beginning to venture into space, Webb recognized the 

importance of capturing the emotions of exploration, 

such as excitement and uncertainty, in a way in which 

history could look back and fully appreciate all that 

the Agency had achieved.

To help get the program off the ground, NASA officials enlisted artist and NASA employee James Dean 
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Volume 34, Number 2 Second Quarter 2017

to head the program with the assistance of H. Lester 

Cooke, Curator of Painting at the National Art Gallery. 

Together, the pair began organizing opportunities for 

artists to witness history being made firsthand, inviting them to impart their experiences to the public 

through their works. Though the participants would 

only be provided with a modest grant of $800, barely 

enough to cover travel expenses, the program promised an experience unimaginable to the average citizen. 

In May 1963, the program selected eight artists to 

capture the final Mercury 

flight, in which Gordon 

Cooper completed 22 Earth 

orbits in his spacecraft, 

Faith 7. Under Dean and 

Cooke’s leadership, the work 

done by artists like Robert 

McCall, Peter Hurd, and 

Mitchell Jamieson served 

as the cornerstone for the 

program and its later artistic 

collaborations that illustrated the wonder of the ages 

of Gemini and Apollo. Over 

the course of its decades

long history, the NASA Art 

Program continued to attract 

renowned talents, including 

Norman Rockwell, Robert 

Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, 

and Annie Leibowitz.

The artwork created through 

the NASA Art Program 

shaped the stories of early 

spaceflight into a popular 

American mythology, one 

that inspires a sense of 

national pride and shared 

accomplishment. As Dean 

remarked, “The artists were 

really missionaries for NASA. 

I mean, they were carrying 

the message out like nothing 

else would.”

See some selected works from the NASA Art Program 

on the NASA History Flickr page at https://www.

flickr.com/photos/nasacommons.

The First Steps painting by Mitchell Jamieson, a former World War II Navy artist, captures the moment astronaut 

Gordon Cooper emerged from his Faith 7 spacecraft after his 22-orbit mission in 1963. Through paintings, 

Jamieson documented Cooper’s return, from postflight medical examinations to the journey back to Cape 

Canaveral. (Photo credit: Mitchell Jamieson, courtesy of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum)

Though the NASA Art Program has been scaled back 

considerably over the years, the connections formed 

between science and art continue to act as valuable 

tools in illustrating NASA’s modern explorations and 

discoveries. Artists and filmmakers work closely with 

the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, referencing 
26

NASA HISTORY DIVISION — News & Notes

subject images and mission data, to 

create scientifically accurate concept art 

and animations. The resulting works 

inform viewers about current missions 

and their progress, like the Cassini mission’s Grand Finale (see https://saturn.jpl.

nasa.gov/mission/grand-finale/overview) 

as the probe begins its dramatic descent 

into Saturn. They also help audiences 

visualize discoveries of the natural 

universe (like the recently discovered 

TRAPPIST-1 system exoplanets) far

beyond their view.

The TRAPPIST-1 discoveries also supplied content for a visual campaign out

of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory 

that taps into the nostalgia of the science 

fiction culture and advertising styles of 

the 1960s. Dubbed Visions of the Future, 

the project ranges in scope from planetary bodies inside our solar system like the moons 

of Saturn to distant discoveries like the Kepler and 

TRAPPIST-1 exoplanets. The visually engaging final

product provides a creative imagining of a farsighted 

age of future exploration while bringing awareness to 

the promise of current discoveries.

To learn more about Visions of the Future, visit the 

Exoplanet Travel Bureau at https://exoplanets.nasa.

gov/alien-worlds/exoplanet-travel-bureau.

Three space colony summer studies were conducted at NASA Ames Research Center in the 

1970s. A number of artistic renderings of the concepts were made, including this one, which 

shows a cutaway view of a fictional Toroidal (donut-shaped) Colony. (Artwork: Rick Guidice; 

photo credit: NASA Ames Research Center)

NASA HEADQUARTERS HISTORY DIVISION 

STAFF CONTACT INFORMATION

William Barry bill.barry@nasa.gov

Chief Historian 202-358-0383

Andres Almeida andres.almeida@nasa.gov

Editor 202-358-0044

Nadine Andreassen nadine.j.andreassen@nasa.gov

Program Support Specialist 202-358-0087

Colin Fries colin.a.fries@nasa.gov

Archivist 202-358-0388

Stephen Garber stephen.j.garber@nasa.gov

Historian 202-358-0385

Elizabeth Suckow elizabeth.suckow-1@nasa.gov

Archivist 202-358-0375

Chief Archivist (Vacant)

Jordan Carter jordan.p.carter@nasa.gov

Intern 202-358-2336

Julian Haddad julian.a.haddad@nasa.gov

Intern 202-358-2577

Victoria Wegman victoria.e.wegman@nasa.gov

Intern 202-358-0680
27

Volume 34, Number 2 Second Quarter 2017

IMAGE IN NASA HISTORY 

I

n this photograph taken on 5 December 1961, a 

test subject sits at the controls of Project LOLA 

(for Lunar Orbit and Landing Approach), a simulator 

built at Langley to study problems related to landing 

on the lunar surface. It was a complex project that cost 

nearly $2 million. In his book Spaceflight Revolution: 

NASA Langley Research Center from Sputnik to Apollo

(SP-4308), James Hansen wrote: “This simulator

was designed to provide a pilot with a detailed visual 

encounter with the lunar surface; the machine consisted primarily of a cockpit, a closed-circuit TV

system, and four large murals or scale models representing portions of the lunar surface as seen from 

various altitudes.”

Photo credit: NASA Langley Research Center
CREATED AND PRODUCED BY:

Andres Almeida, Newsletter Editor

Lisa Jirousek, Editor

Michele Ostovar, Graphic Designer

Trenita Williams, Mail Coordinator

Carl Paul, Distribution

DOWNLOAD THIS AND OTHER RECENT 

EDITIONS OF NEWS & NOTES AT 

http://history.nasa.gov/histnews.htm.

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history at NASA on the Commons on Flickr: 

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