Beschreibung:

Archive of personal papers of NASA General Manager Author: Culberton, Philip Place: Washington, D.C. Publisher: National Aeronautics and Space Administration Date: 1966-1991 Description: Approximately 70 pp. Includes speeches and articles by Culbertson, some letters to him, papers about his long NASA career, some NASA documents of programs during his brief tenure as NASA General Manager; three published reports onspace program planning by blue-ribbon committees on which he served during and after government service; and a color photograph inscribed for him, at retirement, by the African-American astronaut who became NASA’s first Black Administrator. With degrees in aeronautical engineering, Culbertson spent 11 years working on missile programs (including the Atlas Mercury launch vehicle) for General Dynamics/Convair, before joining NASA in 1965. He held executive positions in the Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz, Space Shuttle and Space Station programs, as well as directing the President’s Science and Technology Committee. In late 1985, Culbertson began to oversee the day-to-day operations of the agency as its first – and only – General Manager. He had been in that job for less than three months when the Challenger disaster led to his being relieved as General Manager. He remained at NASA for another two years in unsatisfying positions before retiring. The archive includes: Culbertson, “Lunar Base Concepts and Operational Modes.” Astronautica Acta, August 1966. 7pp. Illustrated. “The Space Program in the 70’s.” April 1970 speech by Culbertson to a Rotary Conference while NAS Director of Advance Manned Missions. 19pp. Culbertson, ghost-written 10-pp. 1975 speech by NASA Associate Administrator John Naugle to the House Science and Technology Committee “Outlook for Space, A Synopsis: Report to the NASA Administrator… (January 1976). 57pp. With tipped-in copy of a January 1976 letter of transmittal to all the participants from the Director of the Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia, with a handwritten note to Culbertson, then Executive Director of the President’s Science Committee, “It wouldn’t have been possible without you!” 1982 – 12pp. speech on Flight Readiness Review of the 3rd Space Shuttle flight “A Nice Flying Machine”. Martin Marietta Co. Lavish color-illustrated promotional brochure, with color illustrations, for the company’s Manner Maneuvering Unit, used by astronauts aboard the Space Shuttle in 1984, to fly untethered in space. 26pp. 7pp. of 1984 NASA documents, memos and letters relating to planning, directed by Culbertson, for a new space suit for astronaut EVA space walks April 1986, 4pp. memo on work assignments for NASA manned systems, and 4pp. NASA news release of report on “Scientific Uses of Space Station” “Johnson Space Center’s Strategic Game Plan: Charting a Course to the Year 2000 and Beyond.” Houston: NASA, October 1987. 35pp. Original pictorial wrappers. With tipped in copy of a letter of a transmittal to a nearly-retired Culbertson, December 3, 1987, from the NASA Director of Strategic Planning and Analysis. “Report of the Advisory Committee on the Future of the U.S. Space Program” (December 1990) 59pp. Tipped-in letter of thanks, sending a copy (“right off the press”) from Norman Augustine, CEO of Lockheed Martin Corporation and chairman of the Committee. May 1989 8x10" photo inscribed to the grandsons of Culbertson, by African-American Astronaut Charles Bolden, who flew four Space Shuttle missions before serving as NASA’s first Black Administrator. Freitag, Robert. Personal TLS to Culbertson, May 26, 1991, recalling how they had first met working on guided missile programs and had then work closely together on Apollo, the Shuttle, Spacelab and the Space Station. Freitag was the former development manager of Saturn launch vehicle. 7pp. of miscellaneous papers on Culbertson’s career,1976-85, including his NASA executive appointments and his ill-fated position as General Manager Lot Amendments Cond