ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY:

Created soon after the establishment of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the History Office is responsible for collecting, documenting, and providing reference service for materials related to projects and programs created by NASA and its predecessor agency, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).

 

Contracted historians, rather than the one or two staff historians, produce the vast majority of the histories published under the auspices of the History Office.

 

While records of enduring value are accessioned by the National Archives and Records Administration, the History Office maintains a collection of copies of documents arranged for expedient access by the History Office Staff.

• VANGUARD PROJECT FILES 1955-59.(MLR Entry 40, A1).
• NOTES AND OTHER RECORDS OF THE HEAD OF THE THEORY AND ANALYSIS BRANCH. 1955-59.(MLR Entry 41, A1).

VANGUARD PROJECT FILES.

1955 - 1959

Boxes 1-43
MLR Entry 40, A1
Location: 130/25/29/4

Arranged by subject.

 

These files include correspondence, technical drawings, memorandums, test data, blueprints, administrative meeting minutes, and contracts related to the design, construction, testing, and launching of the Vanguard test vehicles and satellite launch vehicles. Box 42 contains a two piece antenna mount.

 

Project Vanguard is documented from its creation in 1955 through the successful launch into orbit in 1959. Some records date prior to the establishment of the Naval Research Laboratory's Vanguard Division; these contain scientific data on which various aspects of research were based.

 

Subjects covered include: telemetry; tracking stations; antennas and beacons; satellite launch vehicles; launch schedules; budgeting; the Minitrack satellite tracking system; trajectory; suitability of facilities; and the contracting process.

 

A NARA-prepared folder title list is included in Box 1.

NOTES AND OTHER RECORDS OF THE HEAD OF THE THEORY AND ANALYSIS BRANCH.

1955 - 1959

Boxes 1-37
MLR Entry 41, A1
Location: 130/25/29/7

Arranged by subject.

 

This series is comprised of articles, progress reports, specifications, charts, maps, blueprints, memorandums, minutes, and schedules interspersed among handwritten notes and a plethora of calculations made by Dr. Joseph W. Siry, head of the Theory and Analysis Branch of Project Vanguard from its creation in 1955 to its dissolution in 1959.

 

His responsibilities included coordinating the theoretical analysis of orbits, trajectories, and vehicle system performance. In November 1957 Dr. Siry was also given responsibility for the Advanced Planning Section which prepared studies and plans as requested by Project Director John P. Hagen.

 

Printed index cards in Box 37 document tracking information on the Alpha I and II, Beta I and II, Delta II, Zeta, Eta, Iota, Lambda, and Epsilon satellites.

 

Subjects covered by these records include: range safety; design and performance evaluation of instrumentation; orbital projections and test flight data analysis; branch administrative procedures; vehicle trajectory analysis; the Minitrack satellite tracking system; the Conference on Orbit and Space Trajectory Determination; upper atmosphere research; velocity; performance of all Vanguard satellites and launch vehicles.

 

A NARA-prepared folder title list is included in Box 1.