In 2002 Betty Skelton donated a collection of materials outlining her career as an aviatrix and race car driver to the National Air and Space Museum. The donated material consists primarily of news clippings, pamphlets, magazines, photographs, and scrapbooks covering the span of Ms. Skelton's career.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists primarily of news clippings, pamphlets, magazines, photographs, and scrapbooks covering the span of Ms. Skelton's career.
Arrangement:
The collection has been divided into three series. The first series contains information on Betty Skelton's personal life, including birth and wedding announcements and family photos. The second, pertaining to her professional life, spans a broad range of materials covering the various careers pursued by Ms. Skelton. The third series consists of oversized items such as scrapbooks and large format magazines. Each series is further divided by format (i.e. news clippings, brochures, and photographs) and then chronologically.
SERIES I: Personal
News clippings;
Photographs
SERIES II: Professional
News clippings, Programs and Pamphlets;
Correspondence;
Magazines/Press Releases;
Photographs;
Negatives
SERIES III: Oversized Materials
Biographical / Historical:
Betty Skelton Frankman, noted aviatrix, automobile test driver, race car driver, and business woman, was born in 1926 in Pensacola, Florida. Her interest in aviation was kindled at a young age while watching Navy stunt pilots practice. Soon, she and her parents began taking flying lessons and Betty soloed for the first time at age 12, four years before the legal age. As soon as she was legally able, age 16, Betty got her pilot's license. At age 19 she joined the Civil Air Patrol while also working as a flight instructor at her father's aviation school. She began a professional career as an aerobatic pilot in 1946, flying a 1929 Great Lakes 2T1A biplane. In 1948, while flying that aircraft, Betty won her first International Aerobatic Championship for Women. She would repeat this achievement in 1949 and 1950 while flying a Pitts-Special S-1C that she nicknamed "Little Stinker." By 1951 Betty realized that she had gone as far as a woman could go in aviation and retired.
Through a chance meeting with Bill France, the founder of the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), Betty began a second career as a test and race car driver. She set multiple land speed records and two transcontinental speed records. Her work with Dodge and Chevrolet led her to her next career as an advertising executive for Campbell-Ewald Advertising Agency, the firm that handled Chevrolet advertising.
In 1959, Betty was given the opportunity to train with the original Mercury 7 astronauts. She completed the same physical and physiological tests as the astronauts, but knew a woman was not destined to be the first American in space. The experience resulted in only a cover story in LOOK magazine (Vol. 24 No. 3 Feb. 2, 1960). In 1965, Betty married Donald Frankman and, eventually, the two moved to Florida and started a real estate business.
Betty held more combined aviation and automotive records than any other person. Her aviation achievements included: a world speed record for piston engine aircraft (unofficial), two light plane altitude records, and three international aerobatic championships. Her achievements in the automotive field included a women's closed course speed record (144.02 mph), a speed record for 200-249 cubic inch piston displacement (105.8 mph), a 24-hour stock car endurance record, a transcontinental record New York to Los Angeles (56 hrs 58 mins.), four land speed records, a South American transcontinental auto speed record, and multiple Bonneville Speed and Endurance Records.
She was also inducted into many halls of fame including, the International Aerobatic Hall of Fame, the NASCAR International Motorsports Hall of Fame, the Corvette Hall of Fame, the Tampa Sports Hall of Fame, and the Florida Women's Hall of Fame. In 1985, Betty and Don donated her Pitts Special "Little Stinker" to the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum (NASM). It currently hangs at the entrance to NASM's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles, Virginia.
Betty and her second husband, Dr. Allan Erde, retired to The Villages, Florida, a popular retirement community where many residents use golf carts to get from place to place. But Betty, in keeping with her moniker as the "fastest woman on Earth," drove a bright red Corvette convertible. She died at her home on August 31, 2011, at the age of 85.
The following timeline covers key events in Skelton's life, as well as in the aerospace and automotive industries. Events involving Skelton are shown in normal type while those of the latter are shown in italics.
Timeline of Betty Skelton
6/28/1926 -- Betty is born in Pensacola, Florida
May 1927 -- Charles Lindbergh makes the first solo west to east transatlantic flight
May 1932 -- Amelia Earhart becomes first women to solo across the Atlantic
1937 -- Amelia Earhart and Captain Fred Noonan go missing
12/7/1941 -- Bombing of Pearl Harbor forces American entry into World War II
1942 -- Officially soloed and received pilot's license at age 16
1944 -- Women's Airforce Service Pilots program ends
1945 -- Joins the Civil Air Patrol, eventually achieving rank of Major
May 1945 -- End of War in Europe
August 1945 -- Atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki followed by Japanese surrender and end of World War II
1946 -- Begins career as aerobat at Southeastern Air Exposition in Jacksonville, Florida
1947 -- The United States Air Force becomes an independent military service Chuck Yeager breaks the sound barrier becoming the first man to fly faster than the speed of sound
1948 -- Becomes International Aerobatics Champion for women Buys "Little Stinker" Orville Wright dies at age 76 Berlin Airlift begins operation NASCAR is formed
1949 -- Pilots the smallest plane to cross the Irish Sea Represents United States in RAF Pageant – Belfast, Ireland Sets World Light Plane Altitude Record (~26,000 ft) First non-stop round the world flight is made by Capt. James Gallagher Represents United States in International Air Pageant – London, United Kingdom Unofficially sets world Speed Record for engine aircraft (426 mph) Retains title as International Aerobatics Champion for women
1950 -- Retains title of International Aerobatics Champion for women Becomes hostess of radio program "Van Wilson's Greeting Time"
1951 -- Four monkeys become the first living creatures to travel in space Retires from Flying Sets World Light Plane Altitude Record (~29,000 ft)
1953 -- Jacqueline Cochran becomes first women to fly faster than the speed of sound Stars in a movie short about motor boat jumping Meets Bill France and takes first ride in pace car
1954 -- Sets Stock Car Flying Mile Record (105.88 mph) Sets new world women's closed course record (144.02 mph) Sets new world women's closed course record (143.44 mph) First woman to drive an Indy Car
1955 -- Participates in Stock Car Endurance Run
1956 -- Becomes an advertising executive for Campbell-Ewald Participates in Stock Car Endurance Run First successful launch of a Chrysler Redstone Rocket from Cape Canaveral Sets new land speed record (145.044 mph) Sets transcontinental record New York to Los Angeles (56 hrs 58 mins)
1957 -- Sputnik 2 carries first dog into space Participates in Mobilgas Economy Run Sputnik is launched by the Soviet Union
1958 -- United States launches Explorer 1, the first US satellite to enter Earth's orbit National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is established South American Transcontinental Auto Speed Record (41hrs 14 mins)
1959 -- Trains with Mercury 7 astronauts
1960 -- Participates in Mobilgas Economy Run
1961 -- Alan Shepard becomes the first American in space Participates in Mobilgas Economy Run Yuri Gagarin becomes first man in space
1962 -- Cuban Missile Crisis Participates in Baja Run
1963 -- John F. Kennedy is assassinated Valentina Tereshkova becomes first women in space
1965 -- Sets new land speed record (315 mph) Marries Donald A. Frankman
1967 -- An accident during testing of Apollo 1 kills Virgil Grissom, Roger Chaffee, and Edward White
1969 -- Successfully lobbies to end discrimination against female pilots in air racing Becomes Vice President of Campbell-Ewald's new Women's Market and Advertising Department Apollo 11 is launched with Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, making Neil Armstrong the first man on the moon
1970 -- Explosion onboard Apollo 13 First scheduled service of the Boeing 747
1972 -- The last manned mission to the moon, Apollo 17 is completed President Nixon announces funding for the building of a reusable space shuttle
1974 -- Charles Lindbergh dies at age 72
1975 -- Apollo/Soyuz Test Project and Soyuz 19 successfully dock in Earth orbit
1977 -- Begins working for First Florida Realty Publishes book Little Stinker British Airways and Air France begin regular Concorde service from New York's JKF Airport National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launches Voyager I & II
1980 -- Jacqueline Cochran dies at age 74
1981 -- Space Shuttle Columbia launches for the first shuttle mission
1983 -- Sally Ride becomes first American woman in space
1985 -- Donates Little Stinker to NASM
1986 -- Space Shuttle Challenger explodes on take off Soviet Union launches Mir Space Station
1988 -- Inducted into International Aerobatic Hall of Fame (1st woman)
1989 -- Destruction of the Berlin Wall
1993 -- Inducted into NASCAR International Motorsports Hall of Fame (1st woman) Inducted into Florida Women's Hall of Fame
1997 -- Inducted into Women in Aviation Pioneer Hall of Fame Mars Pathfinder lands on surface of Mars
2001 -- Space Station Mir ends its 15 year life in space Inducted into Corvette Hall of Fame (1st woman) Donald A. Frankman dies
2003 -- Concorde service between the United States and Europe ends Inducted into International Council of Air Shows Foundation Hall of Fame
2005 -- Marries Allan Erde Inducted into National Aviation Hall of Fame
2008 -- Inducted into Motorsports Hall of Fame of America
8/31/2011 -- Betty dies at her home in The Villages, Florida
Provenance:
Betty Skelton, Gift, 2001
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Search this
Extent:
81.71 Cubic feet (222 letter document boxes, 1 slim letter document box, 4 flatboxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Reports
Publications
Date:
1959-1972
Summary:
This collection contains the non-book portion of Bellcomm's Technical Library. The material in the collection consists of technical reports prepared by NASA subcontractors and/or NASA facilities during the first decade of space exploration (1960-1970). The collections also includes some reports issued by the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) at Pasadena, CA, including Space Program and Research Summaries, as well as technical and engineering documents.
Scope and Content Note:
This collection contains the non-book portion of Bellcomm's Technical Library. The material in the collection consists of technical reports prepared by NASA subcontractors and/or NASA facilities during the first decade of space exploration (1960-1970). The reports cover a variety of space exploration-related subjects, including a number of defunct programs and space medicine concerns, as well as the better-known exploration projects, such as Mercury, Gemini, Surveyor, and so forth. The library also includes some reports issued by the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) at Pasadena, CA, including Space Program and Research Summaries, as well as technical and engineering documents.
Arrangement note:
Several attempts were made to organize the Bellcomm material before it was transferred from SS&E to the NASM Archives Division. The most thorough of these attempts left two sections of the collection independently organized by corporate author and a third unorganized section. As the proposed corporate-author organization would cause documents relating to a single program to be separated based upon which contractor submitted the report while juxtaposing completely unrelated materials, this arrangement has been discarded in favor of a subject (program or study) arrangement.
Following a series of Bibliographies and General Reports, the materials are organized into five series based upon NASA's functional organization during much of the 1960s: Launch Vehicle Programs, Manned Space Flight Programs, Space Science and Applications (Planetary Reconnaissance and Earth-Orbiting Satellites), Tracking and Data Acquisition, and Advanced Research and Technology. Materials relating to military programs follow in a separate series.
Under each series, materials are arranged by study and/or project. Materials relating to specific missions follow general material relating to the project under which the mission was launched. As no reference has surfaced to date positively linking a specific study to a specific project or program, series assignments have been made based upon the study name. The series assignments in this finding aid should not be taken to represent the actual NASA program or project under which the report was originally funded.
Series I. Bibliographies and General Reports
Series II. Launch Vehicle Programs
Series III. Manned Space Flight Programs
Series IV. Space Science and Applications
Series V. Tracking and Data Acquisition
Series VI. Advanced Research and Technology
Series VII. Military Programs and Studies
Historical note:
Bellcomm, Inc was a subsidiary of American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) established in 1963 for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Bellcomm was originally organized to provide NASA's Office of Manned Space Flight with technical and management advice for the Manned Space Flight Program. As the NASA-Bellcomm relationship evolved, the latter became directly responsible for systems engineering and analysis and assisted in the overall spacecraft integration for the Apollo program. Bellcomm's Technical Library provided company personnel with immediate access to technical reports and studies dealing with a wide variety of topics affecting the American space program. When the Apollo Program ended in 1972 the company also ceased operation and the library was transferred to the National Air and Space Museum (NASM).
Corporate Abbreviations:
ACM -- Allis-Chalmers Manufacturing Co
ACM/RD -- ACM, Research Division
Aerospace -- The Aerospace Corp
Aerospace/ETRO -- Aerospace Corp, Eastern Test Range Office
Aerospace/GLSD -- Aerospace, Gemini Launch Systems Directorate (El Segundo Technical Operations)
Aerospace/SEO -- Aerospace, Systems Engineering Operations
Aerospace/SSO -- Aerospace, Special Studies Office (System Planning Division, El Segundo Technical Operations)
AFAEDC -- United States Air Force, Arnold Engineering Development Center
AFCRL -- United States Air Force, Cambridge Research Laboratories
AFETR -- United States Air Force, Eastern Test Range (Canaveral AFS, FL)
AFMTC -- United States Air Force, Missile Test Center (Patrick AFB, FL)
AFSC -- United States Air Force, Air Force Systems Command
AFSC/ARML -- AFSC, 6570th Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory (Aerospace Medical Division)
AFSC/ESD -- AFSC, Electronic Systems Division
AFSC/FDL -- AFSC, Flight Dynamics Laboratory (Aeronautical Systems Division)
AFSC/SAM -- AFSC, School of Aerospace Medicine (Aerospace Medical Division)
AGC -- Aerojet-General Corp
AGC/LRO -- AGC, Liquid Rocket Operations
AGC/SGC -- AGC, Space-General Corp
Allison/ED -- Allison, Engineering Department
ARMC -- AiResearch Manufacturing Co.
Avco -- Avco Corp
Avco/ERL -- Avco, Everett Research Laboratories
Avco/RAD -- Avco, Research and Advanced Development Division
BBRC -- Ball Brothers Research Corp
Bell -- Bell Aerospace Corp (Textron)
Bell/BAC -- Bell, Bell Aerosystems Co
Bell Labs -- Bell Telephone Laboratories
Bendix/ASD -- Bendix Corp, Aerospace Systems Division
UAC/HS -- United Aircraft Corp, Hamilton Standard Division
UC -- Union Carbide Corp
UC/ADD -- UC, Advanced Developments Division
USACE/AMS -- United States Army Corps of Engineers, Army Map Service
USAEWES -- United States Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station
USATEC/YPG -- United States Army Test and Evaluation Command, Yuma Proving Ground
USDC/CFSTI -- United States Department of Commerce, Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information (Institute for Applied Technology, National Bureau of Standards)
USDoD -- United States Department of Defence
USN/BuWeps -- United States Navy, Bureau of Naval Weapons
USN/OO -- United States Navy, Oceanography Office
Westinghouse/DSC -- Westinghouse, Defense and Space Center
Westinghouse/DSC/SOD -- Westinghouse/DSC, Systems Operation Division
Project Mercury Launches:
MissionLaunch DateLaunch vehiclePayloadRemarksLJ-121 Aug 1959Little JoeMercury boiler plateunsuccessful beach test of LESBig Joe 19 Sep 1959Big JoeMercury boiler plateLJ-64 Oct 1959Little JoeMercury boiler plateLJ-1A4 Nov 1959Little JoeMercury boiler platerepeat of LJ-1LJ-24 Dec 1959Little JoeMercury boiler platehigh-altitude LES testLJ-1B21 Jan 1960Little JoeMercury boiler platebeach abort w/rhesus (Miss Sam)MA-129 Jul 1960AtlasMercury s/c 4launch vehicle failureLJ-58 Nov 1960Little JoeMercury s/c 3unsuccessful test of LESMR-121 Nov 1960RedstoneMercury s/c 2premature booster cut-offMR-1A19 Dec 1960RedstoneMercury s/c 2suborbital reentry testMR-23 Jan 1961RedstoneMercury s/c 5suborbital w/chimp (Ham)MA-221 Feb 1961AtlasMercury s/c 6suborbital testLJ-5A18 Mar 1961Little JoeMercury s/c 14unsuccessful test of LESMR-BD24 Mar 1961RedstoneLV qualified for manned flightMA-325 Apr 1961AtlasMercury s/c 8launch vehicle failureLJ-5B28 Apr 1961Little JoeMercury s/c 14successful LES testMR-35 May 1961Redstone 7Mercury s/c 7suborbital; Shepard, "Freedom 7"MR-421 Jul 1961Redstone 8Mercury s/c 11suborbital; Grissom, "Liberty Bell 7"MA-413 Sep 1961AtlasMercury s/c 8orbital test of tracking networkMA-52 Nov 1961AtlasMercury s/c 92 orbits w/chimp (Enos)MA-620 Feb 1962Atlas 109-DMercury s/c 133 orbits; Glenn, "Friendship 7"MA-724 May 1962Atlas 107-DMercury s/c 183 orbits; Carpenter, "Aurora 7"MA-83 Oct 1962Atlas 113-DMercury s/c 166 orbits; Schirra, "Sigma 7"MA-915 May 1963Atlas 130-DMercury s/c 2022 orbits; Cooper, "Faith 7"
MissionLaunch DateLaunch vehiclePayloadRemarksMR-35 May 1961Redstone 7Mercury s/c 7suborbital; Shepard, "Freedom 7"MR-421 Jul 1961Redstone 8Mercury s/c 11suborbital; Grissom, "Liberty Bell 7"MA-620 Feb 1962Atlas 109-DMercury s/c 133 orbits; Glenn, "Friendship 7"MA-724 May 1962Atlas 107-DMercury s/c 183 orbits; Carpenter, "Aurora 7"MA-83 Oct 1962Atlas 113-DMercury s/c 166 orbits; Schirra, "Sigma 7"MA-915 May 1963Atlas 130-DMercury s/c 2022 orbits; Cooper, "Faith 7"
MissionLaunch DateLaunch vehiclePayloadRemarksBig Joe 19 Sep 1959Big JoeMercury boiler plate
MissionLaunch DateLaunch vehiclePayloadRemarksLJ-121 Aug 1959Little JoeMercury boiler plateunsuccessful beach test of LESLJ-1A4 Nov 1959Little JoeMercury boiler platerepeat of LJ-1LJ-1B21 Jan 1960Little JoeMercury boiler platebeach abort w/rhesus (Miss Sam)LJ-24 Dec 1959Little JoeMercury boiler platehigh-altitude LES testLJ-58 Nov 1960Little JoeMercury s/c 3unsuccessful test of LESLJ-5A18 Mar 1961Little JoeMercury s/c 14unsuccessful test of LESLJ-5B28 Apr 1961Little JoeMercury s/c 14successful LES testLJ-64 Oct 1959Little JoeMercury boiler plate
MissionLaunch DateLaunch vehiclePayloadRemarksMA-129 Jul 1960AtlasMercury s/c 4launch vehicle failureMA-221 Feb 1961AtlasMercury s/c 6suborbital testMA-325 Apr 1961AtlasMercury s/c 8launch vehicle failureMA-413 Sep 1961AtlasMercury s/c 8orbit test of tracking networkMA-52 Nov 1961AtlasMercury s/c 92 orbits w/chimp (Enos)MA-620 Feb 1962Atlas 109-DMercury s/c 133 orbits; Glenn, "Friendship 7"MA-724 May 1962Atlas 107-DMercury s/c 183 orbits; Carpenter, "Aurora 7"MA-83 Oct 1962Atlas 113-DMercury s/c 166 orbits; Schirra, "Sigma 7"
MissionLaunch DateLaunch vehiclePayloadRemarksMR-121 Nov 1960RedstoneMercury s/c 2premature booster cut-offMR-1A19 Dec 1960RedstoneMercury s/c 2suborbital reentry testMR-23 Jan 1961RedstoneMercury s/c 5suborbital w/chimp (Ham)MR-BD24 Mar 1961RedstoneLV qualified for manned flightMR-35 May 1961Redstone 7Mercury s/c 7suborbital; Shepard, "Freedom 7"MR-421 Jul 1961Redstone 8Mercury s/c 11suborbital; Grissom, "Liberty Bell 7"
PayloadMissionLaunch DateLaunch vehicleRemarksMercury s/c 19 May 1960beach abort testMercury s/c 2MR-121 Nov 1960Redstonepremature booster cut-offMR-1A19 Dec 1960Redstonesuborbital reentry testMercury s/c 3LJ-58 Nov 1960Little Joeunsuccessful test of LESMercury s/c 4MA-129 Jul 1960Atlaslaunch vehicle failureMercury s/c 5MR-23 Jan 1961Redstonesuborbital w/chimp (Ham)Merucry s/c 6MA-221 Feb 1961Atlassuborbital testMercury s/c 7MR-35 May 1961Redstone 7suborbital; Shepard, "Freedom 7"Mercury s/c 8MA-325 Apr 1961Atlaslaunch vehicle failureMA-413 Sep 1961Atlasorbital test of tracking networkMercury s/c 9MA-52 Nov 1961Atlas2 orbits w/chimp (Enos)Merucry s/c 10environmental test, St.LouisMercury s/c 11MR-421 Jul 1961Redstone 8suborbital; Grissom, "Liberty Bell 7"Mercury s/c 12mission cancelled; not deliveredMercury s/c 13MA-620 Feb 1962Atlas 109-D3 orbits; Glenn, "Friendship 7"Mercury s/c 14LJ-5A18 Mar 1961Little Joeunsuccessful test of LESLJ-5B28 Apr 1961Little Joesuccessful LES testMercury s/c 15mission cancelled; not deliveredMercury s/c 16MA-83 Oct 1962Atlas 113-D6 orbits; Schirra, "Sigma 7"Mercury s/c 17parts supportMercury s/c 18MA-724 May 1962Atlas 107-D3 orbits; Carpenter, "Aurora 7"Mercury s/c 19mission cancelled; not deliveredMercury s/c 20MA-915 May 1963Atlas 130-D22 orbits; Cooper, "Faith 7"
Project Gemini Launches:
MissionLaunch DateLaunch vehiclePayloadRemarksGT-18 Apr 1964GLV-1Gemini s/c 1unmanned orbital test of GLV & s/cGT-219 Jan 1965GLV-2Gemini s/c 2unmanned suborbital reentry testGT-323 Mar 1965GLV-3Gemini 3Grissom & Young, "Molly Brown"GT-43 Jun 1965GLV-4Gemini 4McDivitt & White; first EVAGT-521 Aug 1965GLV-5Gemini 5Cooper & ConradGT-6A15 Dec 1965GLV-6Gemini 6Schirra & StaffordGT-74 Dec 1965GLV-7Gemini 7Borman & LovellGT-816 Mar 1966GLV-8Gemini 8Armstrong & Scott16 Mar 1966TLV-5302GATV-5003Agena target vehicle for GT-8GT-9A3 Jun 1966GLV-9Gemini 9Stafford & Cernan1 Jun 1966TLV-5304ATDAdocking target for GT-9AGT-1018 Jul 1966GLV-10Gemini 10Young & Collins18 Jul 1966TLV-5305GATV-5005Agena target vehicle for GT-10GT-1112 Sep 1966GLV-11Gemini 11Conrad & Gordon12 Sep 1966TLV-5306GATV-5005Agena target vehicle for GT-11GT-1211 Nov 1966GLV-12Gemini 12Lovell & Aldrin11 Nov 1966TLV-5307GATV-5001Agena target vehicle for GT-12
Saturn/Apollo Program Launches:
MissionLaunch DateLaunch vehiclePayloadRemarksSA-127 Oct 1961Saturn Idummy second stageSA-225 Apr 1962Saturn Idummy second stageProject HighwaterSA-316 Nov 1962Saturn Idummy second stageProject HighwaterSA-428 Mar 1963Saturn Idummy second stageSA-529 Jan 1964Saturn ISA-628 May 1964Saturn IBP-3SA-718 Sep 1964Saturn IBP-15Saturn I declared operationalSA-825 May 1965Saturn IBP- ; Pegasus 2SA-916 Feb 1965Saturn IBP- ; Pegasus 1SA-1030 Jul 1965Saturn IBP- ; Pegasus 3last Saturn I launch
MissionLaunch DateLaunch vehiclePayloadRemarksA-00113 May 1964Little Joe IIBP-12suborbital LES testA-0028 Dec 1964Little Joe IIBP-23LES testA-00319 May 1965Little Joe IIBP-22LES testA-00420 Jan 1966Little Joe IICSM-002LES testA-101see SA-6 (Saturn development launch)A-102see SA-7 (Saturn development launch)AS-20126 Feb 1966SA-201 (Sat IB)CSM-009suborbital test of Apollo heat shieldAS-20225 Aug 1966SA-202 (Sat IB)CSM-011test of Apollo heat shieldAS-2035 Jul 1966SA-203 (Sat IB)no spacecraftAS-204not launchedSA-204 (Sat IB)CSM-012Apollo 1; CM des by fire 27 Jan 1967AS-20422 Jan 1968SA-204 (Sat IB)aero fairing; LM-1Apollo 5; unmanned launch with LMAS-20511 Oct 1968SA-205 (Sat IB)CSM-101Apollo 7; first manned Apollo launchAS-5019 Nov 1967SA-501 (Sat V)CSM-017, LTA-10RApollo 4AS-5024 Apr 1968SA-502 (Sat V)CM-020, SM-014, LTA-2RApollo 6AS-50321 Dec 1968SA-503 (Sat V)CSM-103Apollo 8; first lunar orbital flightAS-5043 Mar 1969SA-504 (Sat V)CSM-104, LM-3Apollo 9AS-50518 May 1969SA-505 (Sat V)CSM-106, LM-4Apollo 10AS-50616 Jul 1969SA-506 (Sat V)CSM-107, LM-5Apollo 11; first lunar landingAS-50714 Nov 1969SA-507 (Sat V)CSM-108, LM-6Apollo 12AS-50811 Apr 1970-04SA-508 (Sat V)CSM-109, LM-7Apollo 13AS-50931 Jan 1971SA-509 (Sat V)CSM-110, LM-8Apollo 14AS-51026 Jul 1971SA-510 (Sat V)CSM-112, LM-10, LRV-1Apollo 15AS-51116 Apr 1972SA-511 (Sat V)CSM-113, LM-11, LRV-2Apollo 16AS-5127 Dec 1972SA-512 (Sat V)CSM-114, LM-12, LRV-3Apollo 17; last lunar landing mission
MissionLaunch VehicleCommand ModuleLunar ModuleLaunch DateRemarksApollo 1SA-204CSM-204not launchedAS-204Sat IBCM destroyed by fire 27 Jan 1967Apollo 4SA-501CSM-0179 Nov 1967AS-501Sat VApollo 5SA-204aerodynamic fairingLM-122 Jan 1968AS-204Sat IBunmanned launchApollo 6SA-502CSM-0204 Apr 1968AS-502Sat Vunmanned launchApollo 7SA-205CSM-10111 Oct 1968AS-205Sat IBfirst manned Apollo launchApollo 8SA-503CSM-10321 Dec 1968AS-503Sat Vfirst manned lunar orbital flightApollo 9SA-504CSM-104LM-3 "Spider"3 Mar 1969AS-504Sat V"Gumdrop"Apollo 10SA-505CSM-106LM-4 "Snoopy"18 May 1969AS-505Sat V"Charlie Brown"Apollo 11SA-506CSM-107LM-5 "Eagle"16 Jul 1969AS-506Sat V"Columbia"first manned lunar landingApollo 12SA-507CSM-108LM-6 "Intrepid"14 nov 1969AS-507Sat V"Yankee Clipper"Apollo 13SA-508CSM-109LM-7 "Aquarius"11 Apr 1970AS-508Sat V"Odyssey"landing cancelled due to in-flight explosionApollo 14SA-509CSM-110LM-8 "Antares"31 Jan 1971AS-509Sat V"Kitty Hawk"Apollo 15SA-510CSM-112LM-10 "Falcon"26 Jul 1971AS-510Sat V"Endeavour"LRV-1Apollo 16SA-511CSM-113LM-11 "Orion"16 Apr 1972AS-511Sat V"Casper"LRV-2Apollo 17SA-512CSM-114LM-12 "Challenger"7 dec 1972AS-512Sat V"America:LRV-3last lunar landing mission
Provenance:
Bellcomm, Inc, transfer, XXXX-0093, unknown
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permission Requests.
This collection consists of reel to reel audio tapes relating to the United States space program. The material includes recordings of events, missions, press conferences, and other happenings from the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of a unique group of sound recordings collected by Michael Kapp, constituting an oral history of the U.S. space program from its theoretical beginnings through Apollo 13. Some recordings relating to foreign space programs are also included. The tape collection represents thousands of hours of recordings that were assembled over six years, including blockhouse recordings, launch sounds, telemetry, air-to-ground mission recordings, press conferences, and briefings. Space programs represented include Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and various satellite programs. Recordings include interviews and mission commentary of numerous astronauts, as well as media figures, U.S. Presidents, Congressional leaders, and scientists.
Arrangement:
This collection is arranged in two series:
1. Audio
2. Transcripts
The audio is organized in boxes and identified by the identification number assigned by Kapp. The transcripts are arranged by mission.
Biographical / Historical:
Michael Kapp was the producer of the Bill Dana "Jose Jimenez in Orbit" record album in the 1960s and provider of many of the music tapes broadcast to the Gemini crews from mission control.
Provenance:
Michael Kapp, Gift, 1969, NASM.XXXX.0138
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
This collection consists of 34 items of manned space flight memorabilia, circa 1950s-1970s, including pencil and ink drawings by Caldwell Johnson from the Mercury, Apollo, and the Apollo-Soyuz programs. This collection also contains papers, reports, and brochures on these three projects, along with design studies for other spacecraft and related equipment.
Biographical / Historical:
Caldwell C. Johnson was a manned spacecraft designer for NASA and contributed majorly to the Mercury, Apollo, and Apollo-Soyuz projects. Johnson began his aeronautical engineering career in 1937, when at the age of eighteen he was hired by NACA as a model builder. By 1958, Johnson was the top engineering designer for the Pilotless Aircraft Research Division (PARD). He was at that point recruited for the Mercury program where his job was to put the first design of the Mercury capsule on paper. Johnson is a co-holder of the Mercury spacecraft patent and was the principal architect of the Apollo spacecraft. Johnson was also a member of the Space Task Group (STG), and was the Chief of Spacecraft Design at the Manned Spacecraft Center (now Johnson Spacecraft Center) during the early 1970s. His last project before his retirement from NASA in 1974, was the Apollo-Soyuz Project.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
Caldwell C. Johnson, gift, 2000, 2000-0019, Public Domain?
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Search this
Extent:
2.18 Cubic feet ((2 records center boxes))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Photographs
Correspondence
Notes
Drawings
Date:
1959
Scope and Contents:
This collection contains data on the Big Joe capsule and its operation. The material includes blueprints of the thermocouple, telemetry, cooling, instrument, intercom, and other systems. It also contains notes and information on operations, afterbody assembly, personnel assignments, and safety measures, as well as other aspects of the work performed with the capsule during the Big Joe project.
Biographical / Historical:
Soon after the organization of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in October 1959, that agency selected Project Mercury as the first United States manned space program. The project was planned to launch a single man into Earth orbit and return him to Earth. Before launching a manned flight NASA planned a series of unmanned launches with the Mercury spacecraft/launch vehicle combinations to insure the success of later manned flights. The first successful launch of an instrumented Mercury boiler plate capsule, dubbed 'Big Joe' occurred on 9 September 1959 on an Atlas-10D booster from Cape Canaveral. The capsule reached an altitude of 161km (100 miles)e successfully reentering the atmosphere.
General:
NASMrev
Provenance:
A. Martin Eibrand, Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA, Gift, unknown, XXXX-0189, unknown
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Search this
Extent:
0.36 Cubic feet ((1 letter box))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Newsletters
Correspondence
Notes
Charts
Photographs
Motion pictures (visual works)
Reports
Drawings
Articles
Place:
Outer space -- Exploration -- United States
Date:
bulk 1959-1970
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists of material chronicling the NACA/NASA career of Dennis Hasson, notably his work on Project Mercury, his work with a lenticular manned reentry vehicle for planned lunar missions; and his work with deep-space probes. The following type of material is included: Langley NASA newsletters; memos and correspondence; phone lists and organizational charts; newspaper articles; photographs; one 16 mm film of wind tunnel testing; reports; and drawings.
Biographical / Historical:
Dennis Hasson received his Mechanical Engineering BES from The John Hopkins University, his Aerospace Engineering MS from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and his Engineering Material Ph.D. from the University of Maryland. Hasson worked at NACA-NASA at Langley Research Center, as well as the Goddard Space Flight Center. Hasson's work started with experimental aerodynamic studies on advanced aircraft, such as the X-15 and Mach 3 transport. In March 1959, Hasson was assigned to the Aerodynamics Group at Langley Field. That group was responsible for the aerodynamic performance of the manned space vehicle in the earth's atmosphere. Hasson was responsible for the wind-tunnel program for the Mercury project and he and two coworkers received a patent for a manned reentry vehicle for planned lunar missions. In 1961, he became involved in advanced control thruster and power systems for deep-space probes, using advanced materials including fabricators and metallic, polymeric and ceramic materials. He is a Fellow of both ASM international and ASME Internal. He received the Meritorious Civilian Service Medal, and was Pi Tau Sigma USNA Chapter Teacher of the Year. He is currently a Professor at the US Naval Academy in the Mechanical Engineering Department.
Provenance:
Dennis F. Hasson, Gift, 2004
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access.
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
No access restrictions Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
No access restrictions Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
No access restrictions Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
No access restrictions Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu
No access restrictions Many of SIA's holdings are located off-site, and advance notice is recommended to consult a collection. Please email the SIA Reference Team at osiaref@si.edu