This collection consists of Geostar's business records. Included here is information on RDSS as well as Geostar's agreements and relationships with various organizations including NASA, CAST, AMSC, QUALCOMM, and LOCSTAR. The types of materials present here include correspondence, articles, press releases, presentations, FCC filings, reports, programs, agreements, and financial data
Biographical / Historical:
Geostar Corporation began in 1983, intent on providing tracking services with Radio Determination Satellite Service (RDSS) technology. Similar to GPS, RDSS uses satellites to provide locating information. Initially a small entrepreneurial company, Geostar had large goals and high hopes for the future. From the beginning, however, Geostar faced many conflicts and problems which eventually proved to be fatal for this fledgling company. In 1985, the founder of Geostar, Dr. Gerard K. O'Neill, was diagnosed with leukemia. Following his recovery, a disagreement over proxies arose between O'Neill and his company, and a lawsuit ensued. Despite managerial and other internal conflicts, Geostar persisted. After two failed attempts to launch a satellite, Geostar faced severe financial concerns and eventually filed for bankruptcy in 1991. Geostar was a pioneer in using satellites to provide accurate tracking and locating services, and made significant contributions to the further development of this field.
Provenance:
Scott Sacknoff, Gift, 2005
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 8 cubic feet of documentation on the Baker-Nunn camera, including the following types of material: drawings, photographs, manuals and reports, and memorandums and correspondence
Biographical / Historical:
The Baker-Nunn Camera, designed by James Baker and Joseph Nunn, was created to observe both natural and man-made satellites orbiting at a great altitude. This high-precision telescopic tracking camera was used by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) to track artificial satellites from the 1950s to mid-1970s. The SAO set up a highly successful optical tracking system using a network of Baker-Nunn cameras at twelve tracking stations located in Argentina, Australia, Curacao, India, Iran, Japan, Peru, South Africa, Spain, and at three sites in the United States.
Provenance:
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) via Space History Division, NASM, Gift, 2012
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
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Mt. Hopkins Department Search this
Extent:
2.5 cu. ft. (5 document boxes)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Manuscripts
Black-and-white photographs
Color transparencies
Place:
Santa Rita Mountains (Ariz.)
Date:
1966-1970
Descriptive Entry:
These records document the early history of the Mt. Hopkins Observatory and concern site development, the construction of buildings, the development of astronomical
instruments for use at Mt. Hopkins, and projects conducted by SAO and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration at the Observatory. The records include a contracts
file, 1966-1970; a projects file, 1967-1970; administrative records, 1966-1970; and photographs and color slides of the Observatory, 1969.
Historical Note:
In October 1965, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) Director Fred L. Whipple visited the southwestern United States for the purpose of choosing a site for
a new branch observatory. The location selected was Mt. Hopkins in the Santa Rita Mountains of Arizona. Development of the site began in 1966, and the observatory was officially
opened on October 23, 1968. Research activities at Mt. Hopkins included optical and laser satellite tracking for geodetic and geophysical studies, spectroscopic observation
of both stellar and planetary bodies, and gamma-ray astronomy.
During 1965 and 1966, the Mt. Hopkins Observatory project was administered by the Office of the Director. Jack A. Coffey served as the first Project Administrator from
December 1965 to December 1966 (except during March and April 1966 when Raymond Watts served in the position). In 1967, the newly created Programs Management Office assumed
responsibility for Mt. Hopkins, with John J. Burke as chief administrative officer. In 1969, the Mt. Hopkins Department was established, with Ronald R. LaCount as Manager.
Charles Tougas was appointed Field Manager of the Mt. Hopkins site in 1966. He was assisted by Werner Kirchhoff who served as Special Technical Advisor.
Richard H. Emmons (1919-2005), astronomer, engineer, and proponent of astronomy education, taught astronomy and physics at Kent State University and later worked as
an engineer for Goodyear Aerospace Corporation. He was well-known for the planetariums he established, over 23 in all. Emmons was also the team leader for the North Canton
Moonwatch Team. Moonwatch teams were established around the world by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Moonwatch Division, 1956-1975, to track and photograph artificial
satellites. This accession consists of records created and maintained by Emmons documenting his work as an astronomer and an engineer, his participation in Moonwatch, and
his research interests. This accession also documents the creation and dissolution of both the Moonwatch program as well as the North Canton Moonwatch Team. Materials include
correspondence, reports, clippings, articles, fact sheets, photographs, lecture notes, announcements, newsletters, calculations, notes, and related materials as well as an
autobiography of H. H. Emmons with a postscript written by his son, Richard H. Emmons.
Richard H. Emmons (1919-2005), astronomer, engineer, and proponent of astronomy education, taught astronomy and physics at Kent State University and later worked as
an engineer for Goodyear Aerospace Corporation. He was well-known for the planetariums he established, over 23 in all. Emmons was also the team leader for the North Canton
Moonwatch Team. Moonwatch teams were established around the world by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Moonwatch Division, 1956-1975, to track and photograph artificial
satellites. This accession consists of records created and maintained by Emmons documenting his work as an astronomer and an engineer, his participation in Moonwatch, and
his research interests. Materials include correspondence and memoranda; theories, calculations, charts, graphs, and notes; images of astronomers, equipment, facilities, and
the sky; articles written and co-written by Emmons; newspaper clippings; professional society and astronomy club newsletters; and research and reference materials such as
journal articles, manuscripts, predictions, and technical documents. Some research and reference materials pre-date the date span of this accession, but would have been collected
during this time period.
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Publications and Information Search this
Extent:
4.43 cu. ft. (4 record storage boxes) (1 12x17 box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Clippings
Manuscripts
Black-and-white negatives
Black-and-white photographs
Black-and-white transparencies
Color photographs
Color transparencies
Date:
1932, 1946, 1957-1989
Descriptive Entry:
This accession consists of records created and maintained by James C. Cornell, Jr., a public information specialist and publications manager for the Smithsonian Astrophysical
Observatory (SAO) for nearly 40 years. SAO jointly administers the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) with the Harvard College Observatory. Materials primarily
consist of photographs used in the production of newsletters (such as "SAO News" and CfA's "Centerline") and other publications as well as those documenting the construction
of Satellite Tracking Program stations around the world. In addition, materials include handbooks, news clippings, station notes, and publications chronicling the history
of both SAO and the Harvard College Observatory.
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Publications and Information Search this
Extent:
9.5 cu. ft. (9 record storage boxes) (1 document box)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Manuscripts
Clippings
Color photographs
Black-and-white photographs
Color transparencies
Black-and-white transparencies
Color negatives
Black-and-white negatives
Date:
1910, 1921, 1938, 1954-2000
Descriptive Entry:
This accession consists of records created and maintained by James C. Cornell, Jr., a public information specialist and publications manager for the Smithsonian Astrophysical
Observatory (SAO). SAO jointly administers the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) with the Harvard College Observatory. Materials primarily consist of photographs
used in the production of SAO newsletters (such as "SAO News" and CfA's "Centerline") and other publications in regard to SAO staff, Satellite Tracking Program stations, installation
and use of telescopes and cameras, and special events. Also includes correspondence, memoranda, and notes as well as newspaper clippings, news releases, reports, press kits,
research papers, biographical information, and other supporting documentation.
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Search this
Extent:
0.9 Cubic feet ((2 letter document boxes, 1 slim letter document box))
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Lists
Specifications
Reports
Diagrams
Date:
1976-1979
Scope and Contents:
This collection contains TDRSS documentation from the years 1976 through 1979. Materials include: a Pricing Manual, a Program Acronym List, Program Space Segment Specifications, a Baseline Report, Project Plans, a Proposal Kickoff Package, the Proposal Preparation, a Test Plan, the Review Boards Notebook, a Shuttle User Draft, Contracts, a System Design Report, Performance Specifications, a Statement of Work, and Flow Diagrams.
Biographical / Historical:
Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS) are the largest, most advanced privately developed communications satellites. TDRS provide global coverage of Earth-orbiting spacecraft. In the past, spacecraft could communicate with Earth only when they were in sight of a ground tracking station, typically less than one fifth of the time. The TDRS system enables spacecraft to communicate with Earth for about 85 to 100 percent of the orbit by having a system of orbiting telecommunication satellites operated from a single ground terminal link. The first TDRS was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 4, 1983. TDRS is owned and operated by the Technical Services Division of Contel Federal Systems, Fairfax, VA. However, its services are being leased to NASA for a ten-year period.
Provenance:
Daniel K. Elliot, Gift, 2002
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
Topic:
Tracking and Data Relay Satellites System (TDRSS) Search this
This accession consists of records created and maintained by Simons documenting his participation on the Moonwatch Team and the local publicity he received. Materials
include a report on the Team's work, clippings, instructions for tracking satellites, tracking data, and audio recordings of satellites.
Historical Note:
Keneth A. Simons (March 10, 1913-June 14, 2004), ham radio operator and cable television and radio engineer worked for Bell Telephone Laboratories and later was a founding
employee of Jerrold Electronics Corporation. In 1957, he became involved in the Bryn Athyn Moonwatch Team as a radio engineer. Moonwatch teams were established around the
world by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Moonwatch Division, 1956-1975, to track and photograph artificial satellites. The Bryn Athyn Moonwatch Team was relatively
unique in that it combined the use of radios and telescopes to track satellites. Simons was primarily involved in Doppler tracking the Sputnik satellites.
This collection consists of two 8 by 10 inch green notebooks, which chart the construction of the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) Satellite. Book one records from October 1, 1973 until September 16, 1974. Book two records from September 17, 1974 until January 9, 1976. The books contain black and white photographs with related notations.
Biographical / Historical:
The International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE) was the first experiment to explore the full range of ultraviolet radiation from the universe. The IUE was a satellite sponsored and operated jointly by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the United Kingdom's Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) and the European Space Agency (ESA), and dedicated to gathering astronomical data in the ultraviolet range of the spectrum. The IUE was launched by a Thor-Delta rocket on January 26, 1978 and placed into a geosynchronous orbit around the Earth. It carried a 45-centimeter Cassegrain reflecting telescope with two spectrographs, collected spectral data in real time and was capable of being operated by a visiting astronomer at one of two ground stations: in Madrid, Spain, and at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. The observer could perform preliminary evaluation and analysis during the observing session, operating the system much like a modern ground-based telescope. In its18 years of operation the IUE provided data for thousands of scientific papers. IUE real time operations terminated on September 27, 1996.
Provenance:
Dick Harner, Gift, 2012
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 accession consists of the contents of scrapbooks created by Vioalle Hefferan. Hefferan was a teacher and astronomy club advisor at Albuquerque High School as well
as the leader of Moonwatch Team #041. The team, based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was one of the few teams led by a female and most of its members were high school students.
Moonwatch teams were established around the world by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Moonwatch Division, 1956-1975, to track and photograph artificial satellites.
Materials include letters and cards from students, parents, former students, friends, and family. Materials also include clippings, photographs, certificates, and related
materials.
The Smithsonian Institution Archives began its Oral History Program in 1973. The purpose of the program is to supplement the written documentation of the Archives'
record and manuscript collections with an Oral History Collection, focusing on the history of the Institution, research by its scholars, and contributions of its staff. Program
staff conducts interviews with current and retired Smithsonian staff and others who have made significant contributions to the Institution. There are also interviews conducted
by researchers or students on topics related to the history of the Smithsonian or the holdings of the Smithsonian Institution Archives.
Whipple was interviewed for the Oral History Collection because of his central role in the modernization of the SAO and his outstanding contributions to science. For additional
information, see the following related collections in Smithsonian Archives: the records of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory; the Fred Lawrence Whipple Papers; and
Record Unit 9542, Multiple Mirror Telescope videohistory interviews.
Descriptive Entry:
Whipple was interviewed on 24 and 25 June 1976 by Pamela M. Henson. The interviews cover his education; radar countermeasure work during World War II; role in the development
of national programs for astrophysics and space exploration; research program on comets, meteors, and interplanetary material; administration of SAO; development of Mt. Hopkins,
MMT, and optical tracking programs; and reminiscences of colleagues such as Imre G. Izsak, Craig M. Merrihue, and Carlton W. Tillinghast.
Historical Note:
Fred Lawrence Whipple (1906-2004), received the B.A. in mathematics with a minor in physics and astronomy from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1927 and
the Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of California at Berkeley in 1931. His early training focused on comet orbits. After teaching for a year at Stanford University,
he joined the staff of the Harvard College Observatory in 1931 and remained in Cambridge throughout his career. During the 1930s his work focused on double station meteor
research. From 1943 to 1945, he developed radar countermeasures for the U. S. Army Radiation Laboratory of the Office of Scientific Research and Development. After World War
II he worked on development of the Super-Schmidt cameras to photograph meteors and continued research on the influx of material from comets into the interplanetary medium.
His comet research culminated in publication of the Icy Comet Model in 1950. During the forties he also conducted studies of meteor hazards to spacecraft, inventing the meteor
bumper, and served on the Rocket and Satellite Research Panel. In the early fifties, with Wernher von Braun and Cornelius J. Ryan, he coauthored a series of popular articles
on the conquest of the space frontier.
His teaching career at Harvard University progressed from Instructor, 1932-1938; Lecturer, 1938-1945; Associate Professor, 1945-1950; Professor, 1950-1970; Chairman of
the Department of Astronomy, 1949-1956; to Phillips Professor of Astronomy, 1970-1977. Thus when Whipple was appointed Director of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
(SAO) in July 1955, he moved its headquarters to the Cambridge campus and continued as Professor and member of the Harvard College Observatory staff. He reorganized the Smithsonian's
observatory and reoriented its research program. Under his directorship, the staff grew from a handful to more than five hundred, including over sixty scientists.
At the request of the National Science Foundation and the National Academy of Sciences, Whipple began development of Baker-Nunn cameras to track artificial satellites during
the International Geophysical Year (1957-1958). With the help of Armand N. Spitz, he also developed the Moonwatch optical tracking program, which utilized teams of volunteers
observing satellites with hand-held telescopes. When Sputnik was launched in October of 1957, the Moonwatch teams were the only U. S. mechanism available to track the Russian
satellite. The SAO subsequently received large contracts from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to operate the Satellite Tracking Program (STP), an optical
tracking system with Baker-Nunn camera stations located all over the globe. Whipple's satellite tracking work earned him the 1963 Distinguished Civilian Service Award from
President John F. Kennedy.
The Prairie Network, an optical tracking system designed to photograph meteorites and fireballs in order to calculate their orbits, created by Whipple and Richard E. McCrosky,
began observations in 1964. Coordination of STP camera observations with Jodrell Bank Observatory radio data on flare stars led to the first identification of radio noise
from any star besides the sun.
SAO relied on early computers such as the Mark IV, IBM 7090, and CDC 6400 for rapid processing of massive quantities of data. Baker-Nunn and Super-Schmidt camera data were
directly processed by automated means, which made possible the 1966 SAO Star Catalog, coordinated by Katherine L. Haramundanis. Whipple required direct publication from computer
tapes, a first for the U. S. Government Printing Office. Observations from the STP were progressively refined during the sixties through new laser tracking techniques and
advances in automated data processing, to provide improved geodetic and geophysical data. In the early sixties, stellar atmosphere models were developed with the aid of an
IBM 7090 and after 1966 a CDC 6400, in anticipation of far ultraviolet light data from orbiting observatories. Based on this experience in upper atmosphere research, Whipple
was appointed project director for the orbiting astronomical observatories from 1958 to 1972.
The telegraph service of the International Astronomical Union came to the SAO in 1965 under the coordination of Owen J. Gingerich and later Brian G. Marsden. It utilized
SAO's sophisticated communications network and led eventually to the creation of the Center for Short-Lived Phenomena by Robert A. Citron.
Development of an observatory site at Mt. Hopkins, Arizona, began in 1966. Chosen by Whipple for its altitude and seeing conditions, the site was dedicated in 1981 as the
Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory. On this site, in conjunction with the U. S. Air Force and University of Arizona, he developed the technically innovative Multiple Mirror
Telescope (MMT), which commenced observations in May of 1979.
In addition to his own research program on comets, meteors, and interplanetary materials, Whipple coordinated the SAO research programs in celestial mechanics, geodesy,
meteoritics, radio astronomy, neutrino searches, stellar atmosphere models, and the atomic clock project to test the theory of relativity. He encouraged NASA's lunar program
and development of the space telescope.
Whipple was distinguished both for his theoretical work in astrophysics and his technical innovations in such areas as tracking cameras, multiple mirror telescopes, and
meteor bumpers. A member of the National Academy of Sciences, Whipple received the Academy's J. Lawrence Smith Medal in 1949 for his meteor research. He was awarded the Kepler
Medal by the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 1971 and the Joseph Henry Medal of the Smithsonian Institution in 1973. Through his work on numerous federal
and private boards, panels, and commissions, Whipple was influential in the development of national programs for research in astrophysics and creation of a space exploration
program.
Whipple retired from administration of SAO in 1973 but continued active research as a Senior Scientist from 1973 to 1977. Upon his retirement in 1977, he was appointed
Emeritus Phillips Professor of Astronomy at Harvard.
International Geophysical Year, 1957-1958 Search this
Local number:
SIA RU000371 [96-1369]
Restrictions & Rights:
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
