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Collection Guide Index | Featured Collections

Public-facing guides to processed collections are available here and the Online Archive of California. Some files are NASA internal.

Unprocessed collections not documented here are also open to researchers. Contact the archives for more information.

Featured Collection Topics

+ Collection Guide Index, Alphabetical Quick Link List
+ Collection Abstracts and Guides

Keyword Search
Search across guides for processed collections posted on the Online Archive of California.
Consult the archives for assistance searching unprocessed collections.

Collection Guide Index

Alphabetical list of processed collections and associated abstracts and guides.

+ Ames Astrogram
+ Ames Library Collection, 1967-1989
+ Ames Motion Simulator Research Collection 1959-1994
+ Ames Research Center Response to COVID-19 Collection
+ Archives Reference Collection, 1939-
+ Automatic Data Processing Acquisition Planning Records, 1965-1997
+ Roger D. Arno Papers
+ Artifacts Collection
+ Lawrence J. Caroff Notebooks, 1986-2001
+ Daily Flight Logs, 1949-1950
+ Histories of Ames Research Files, 1970-2009
+ Robert P. Hogan Collection, 1969-1997
+ Human Systems Integration Division Virtual Environment Documentation and Equipment, 1986-1993
+ Robert W. Jackson Collection, 1964-1999
+ LCROSS Project Collection, 2007-2010
+ Elliott C. Levinthal Viking Lander Imaging Science Team Papers, 1970-1980
+ David W. Lozier Papers
+ Lunar Prospector Project Records, 1995-1998
+ Larry A. Manning Papers, 1967-1988
+ George B. McCullough Papers, 1943-1965
+ John D. Mihalov Papers, 1960-1997
+ NASA Student Space Settlement Design Contest Collection
+ Oral History Interviews of Ames Personnel
+ PAET Flight Project Binders, 1970-1971
+ Pioneer Project Collection, 1952-1996
+ Public Affairs Office Collection
+ Amelia Reid National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Human Computer Papers, 1945-1958
+ Vernon L. Rogallo Papers, 1948-1992
+ Alvin Seiff Papers, 1955-2000
+ Robert E. Slye Papers, 1961-1999
+ Michael W. Werner Spitzer Space Telescope Development Project Files
+ Donald E. Wilson Earth Resources Survey Program Papers, 1972-1983
+ Kenneth B. Wilton and Alfred L. Ercoline Bending Brake and Related Records 

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Processed Collection Abstracts and Guides
 

Ames Astrogram - AFS1380-39A

This collection comprises a complete run of NASA Ames Research Center's "Astrogram" newsletter, which was published from 1958 to the present.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Ames Library Collection, 1967-1989 - ARC17.06

This collection provides insight on library staff, culture, planning, operations, and facility changes for nearly two two decades, from 1967 to 1989. This collection of materials contains an array of photographs, outreach materials, and administrative documents from the Ames Main Library, later named Technical Library, and the Life Sciences Library. Photographs depict personnel, library interiors, and facility changes. Outreach materials include the Library's Upstairs, Downstairs, and Across the Street newsletter and brochures. Administrative documentation includes planning and operations files.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Ames Motion Simulator Research Collection 1959-1994 - ARC18.13

This collection primarily contains photographs depicting motion simulator research at Ames Research Center, the University of Southern California's (USC) Human Centrifuge apparatus testing for Ames Research Center, and the Johnsville Centrifuge Program's spacesuit development in collaboration with NASA. Remaining materials include administrative files from the division and branch managing the flight simulator facilities at Ames Research Center.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Ames Research Center Response to COVID-19 Collection - ARC20.08

This collection provides insight into NASA Ames Research Center's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Communications documentation captures how Ames management adapted to challenging conditions, and a gives a view into the workforce culture during lockdown (includes circulars; InsideAmes website postings; email correspondence; town hall meeting transcripts; and an employee survey and results). Other documentation shows how research scientists and high-performance computing facilities supported efforts to study the virus and seek solutions and tools to combat it (includes email correspondence; website postings; meeting reminders, agendas, and summaries; symposium agendas and presentations; informational sheets; and exposure assessment tool resources). The capture of documentation for this collection is ongoing and new materials will be added annually. All of the material in this collection is in digital form.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Archives Reference Collection, 1939- - AFS1070.8A

The Archives Reference Collection provides a sampling of materials that span the history of the Center from its origins in December 1939 through the present. This collection presents the best general overview of the activities, people, research and development, and organization of the NASA Ames Research Center.
   + Finding aid on the Online Archive of California

Automatic Data Processing Acquisition Planning Records, 1965-1997 - AFS5107

This collection provides a glimpse into Automatic Data Processing procurement planning, which was conducted at NASA Ames Research Center from 1965 to 1996 in accordance with the Brooks Automatic Data Processing Act of 1965. Though the collection does not constitute a complete set of records of this work, it does offer insight into three decades of computing capabilities at Ames. The most extensively documented efforts include planning for mainframe computer procurement from 1965 to 1980, for acquiring the CRAY-2 Cyber 205, and for formulating the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation Program.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Roger D. Arno Papers - PP14.01

This collection contains personal papers of Roger D. Arno, a retired NASA Ames Research Center engineer and artist, including portfolios, sketches, drawings, posters, artifacts, and optical media. The bulk of the collection comprises digital and paper copies of Arno's artwork, in the form of technical and astronomical illustrations representing engineering concepts, as well as editorial cartoons about NASA people and projects. Also present are Arno's memoirs about his career with NASA.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Artifacts Collection - ART1387

The Artifact Collection contains a wide range of objects related to the history of Ames, dated from approximately 1939 to 2009. This is an artificial collection comprised of items donated by many different organizational units and individuals associated with NACA, NASA, and Ames.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Lawrence J. Caroff Notebooks, 1986-2001 - PP08.18

This collection includes personal, handwritten notes from meetings, conferences, workshops, and conversations with individuals. The collection also includes inserts such as timelines and diagrams relating to the projects being discussed. The collection covers the years between 1986 and 2001 in which Caroff was employed at both NASA Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, California and NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. The notebooks focus primarily on project management, documenting Caroff's involvement with various Infrared Astronomy projects and the NASA Astrobiology Institute. Some of the main projects discussed in the notebooks include SOFIA, SIRTF, and KAO.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Daily Flight Logs, 1949-1950 - AFS7910.01

Daily Flight Logs, 1949 - 1950 is composed of flight logs kept by the Flight Operations group of the Northern California-based National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) on a daily basis for the years 1949 and 1950.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Histories of Ames Research Files, 1970-2009 - AFS1070.9

This collection contains research materials collected by individuals hired by NASA to write histories of NASA Ames or its research and development activities. Included are drafts of monographs, articles, and biographical sketches of personnel, as well as the materials gathered by the authors during their research. The documentation in this collection covers the history of NASA Ames from the early 1940s through 2009, and includes information gathered from sources such as oral interviews, historical collections in the Ames Research Center Archives, the Center's newsletter (Ames "Astrogram"), Ames business units, and writings and papers by NASA Ames engineers and scientists.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Robert P. Hogan Collection, 1969-1997 - PP04.12

This collection includes project proposals, technical documents, reports, correspondence, publications, photographs, and other visual media documenting Hogan's contributions to the Pioneer Project and the Life Sciences Directorate during his career at the NASA Ames Research Center. The collection is chronologically arranged in two series that reflect these two phases of Hogan's engineering and administrative activities.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Human Systems Integration Division Virtual Environment Documentation and Equipment, 1986-1993 - AFS8078

This collection includes a Virtual Visual Environment Display (VIVED) and Virtual Interactive Environment Workstation (VIEW) head-mounted display, system chassis with cords, circuit cards, and system documentation on the Human Systems Integration Division's virtual environment research and development.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Robert W. Jackson Collection, 1964-1999 - PP03.02

This collection consists of materials that document four NASA space programs during the years 1967 to 1988: Biosatellite, Magellan, Pioneer and Voyager. The materials were collected by Robert W. Jackson, who served as Recovery Controller for the Biosatellite program and as Flight Director for the Pioneer spacecraft.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

LCROSS Project Collection, 2007-2010 - AFS8000.5-LCROSS

This collection of Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) records, accumulated by various team members, primarily contains material related to the mission's outreach efforts. Included are digital photographs, fact sheets, booklets, technical papers, briefings, presentations, video footage, social media campaign records, awards, posters, ephemera, objects, and memorabilia.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Elliott C. Levinthal Viking Lander Imaging Science Team Papers, 1970-1980 - PP04.02

This collection consists primarily of the Viking orbiter and lander photographic materials such as prints with descriptive captions, stereo positive/negative film pairs, and 35mm presentation slides. It also includes maps, ephemera, and published materials such as newsletters, bulletins, press kits, technical reports and articles related to the imaging aspects of the Viking Mission. Additionally, there is fair amount of documentation that encompasses stereo and anaglyph imaging, including materials related to the documentary film "Mars in 3D."
   + Finding aid (PDF)

David W. Lozier Papers - ARC10.16

This collection contains personal papers of David W. Lozier, a retired Ames computer programmer, engineer, and flight director. This includes personal scrapbooks, recollections, materials related to several probe and telescope missions (notably Pioneer Project and Lunar Prospector missions), images related to NASA culture, and work and reference files including mission design and analysis documentation and data, concept studies, proposals, technical papers, and some notes, meeting minutes, correspondence, plans, timelines, schedules, reference documents, press kits, and photographs. Many file directories include trajectory plots, analyses, and related data.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Lunar Prospector Project Records, 1995-1998 - AFS8000.5-LP

The Lunar Prospector mission management records accumulated by Deputy Mission Manager Sylvia A. Cox document the management of all aspects of the project, from the initial proposal through the extended mission. The collection contains proposals, contracts, correspondence, status reports, planning documents, design reviews, scientific findings, presentations, and news footage.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Larry A. Manning Papers, 1967-1988 - PP05.04

This collection includes technical publications, project reports and proposals that Larry A. Manning produced, collaborated on or referenced during his career as a scientist and science administrator. The bulk of the collection reflects his career as a mission analyst and aerospace engineer for NASA during the late 1960s and 1970s. The collection is divided into two series: technical works authored by Manning and documentation supporting his research and administrative activities.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

George B. McCullough Papers, 1943-1965 - PP16.04

The George B. McCullough Papers contain personal research materials and publications including data charts, equations, article drafts, NACA Technical Notes, and NASA Technical Notes. The collection as a whole documents McCullough's investigations into airfoils, helicopter rotors, and launch vehicles.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

John D. Mihalov Papers, 1960-1997 - PP05.22-JM

The John D. Mihalov Papers include record books, meeting notes, project proposals, correspondence, design reviews, experiment plans, circuit diagrams, instrument descriptions, test reports, data, charts, plots, presentations for international meetings, publications, peer reviews, press kits, and reference materials documenting Mihalov's solar physics contributions to Pioneers 6 through 11, Pioneer 12 (Pioneer Venus Orbiter), and the Galileo Probe during his career as a research scientist at the NASA Ames Research Center.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

NASA Student Space Settlement Design Contest Collection - ARC20.02

This collection contains a selection of student entries for NASA's annual space settlement design contest in the form of thirty four original artworks and ten technical reports created by students from around the world in grades twelve and under. Also included is a 2008 technical paper about the contest and the lessons learned from it, and a photograph of contest ephemera (a clock). The bulk of the collection has been digitized.
   + Finding aid (PDF)
   + Supplemental Guide, File Key (XLSX)

Oral History Interviews of Ames Personnel - ARC20.06

This collection contains an assemblage of oral history interview transcripts of personnel from NASA Ames Research Center and its precursor organization, the NACA Ames Aeronautical Laboratory. These were selected from larger oral history collections held at the NASA Headquarters History Office Archives and the NASA Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) History Office. The collection documents contributions of Ames personnel to the development, management, and execution of a wide range of NACA and NASA programs and projects.
   + Finding aid (PDF)
   + Supplemental guide, Series I index (XLSX)
   + Supplemental guide, Series II index (XLSX)

PAET Flight Project Binders, 1970-1971 - AFS8000.5-PAET

This collection consists of two binders of material related to the Planetary Atmosphere Experiments Test (PAET) Project. The first, which was compiled by PAET Project Manager David E. Reese, primarily contains logistical documents for the flight, including pre-flight test data sheets and reliability and quality assurance reports. The second contains photographs detailing the PAET vehicle and payload instruments.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Pioneer Project Collection, 1952-1996 - AFS8100.15A

The NASA Pioneer Program ultimately sent into outer space eight craft to explore the nearby and far away reaches of the solar system. This collection is made up of documentation maintained by the Pioneer Program Management Office, which was located at the NASA Ames Research Center. Materials in the collection include contractor documentation, proposals, reviews, reports, drawings, specifications, data, and correspondence mainly related to the design and construction of the Pioneer 10, 11, 12, and 13 spacecraft.
   + Finding aid (PDF)
   + Supplemental guide, file index (PDF) | (XLSX)
   + Supplemental guide, AV material (PDF)

Public Affairs Office Collection - AFS1380

The Public Affairs Office Collection in the NASA Ames History Archives comprises news materials, audio-visual media, subject files, and photographs produced and accumulated by Public Affairs Office staff. These records were used toward fulfillment of the Center's mandate, under the 1958 National Aeronautics and Space Act, to disseminate information about its activities to the public.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Amelia Reid National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Human Computer Papers, 1945-1958 - PP09.16

This collection includes computation charts, computing tools, convention brochures, computation manuals and notes pertaining to Reid's career as a human computer for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). The papers are related to Reid's professional development and work as a human computer, and contain organizational information about the NACA.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Vernon L. Rogallo Papers, 1948-1992 - PP14.02

The Vernon L. Rogallo Papers feature technical publications, memoirs, albums, photographs, and artifacts related to Rogallo's employment as an engineer for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) Ames Aeronautical Laboratory and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ames Research Center, as well as his family's aerobatic kite flying team "The Rockets," which was a vehicle to publicize the Flexikite. The Flexikite, which was based on Vernon's brother Francis's own design and aptly named the "Rogallo Wing," was marketed and distributed on the West Coast by Vernon.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Alvin Seiff Papers, 1955-2000 - PP05.22-AS

This collection includes instrument descriptions, design reviews, testing reports, progress reports, meeting notes, project proposals, correspondence, publications, photographs, and overheads documenting Seiff's contributions to atmospheric structure experiments in Viking, Cassini-Huygens, Galileo, and other projects during his career as a scientist and research associate at the NASA Ames Research Center.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Robert E. Slye Papers, 1961-1999 - PP07.13-RS

This collection, accumulated by NASA Ames Research Center scientist Robert E. Slye, consists of reports, research proposals, memoranda, contracts, conference and workshop proceedings, user guides, administrative announcements, newsletters, secondary publications and other materials related to the NASA Mission Analysis Division, technology applications research and general administrative activities.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Michael W. Werner Spitzer Space Telescope Development Project Files - ARC23.15

This collection of Michael W. Werner's project files primarily relates to the project management and development of the Spitzer Space Telescope (formerly the Shuttle Infrared Telescope Facility and Space Infrared Telescope Facility) at Ames Research Center, where he was Project Scientist and Science Working Group Chairman for the telescope. The collection includes project plans, reviews, reports, requirements, presentations, correspondence, notes, assessments, design and mission studies, science objectives, and other technical documentation.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

Donald E. Wilson Earth Resources Survey Program Papers, 1972-1983 - PP07.13-DW

This collection includes reports, correspondence, newsletters, maps, and imagery documenting the applications of remote sensing of earth resources and technology transfer efforts to establish Landsat data analysis capabilities in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The collection is arranged in six series that reflect the administration, programs, and records related to these earth resources survey applications projects, as well as the activities of Donald E. Wilson during his career at the NASA Ames Research Center.
   + Finding aid (PDF)
   + Supplemental guide (PDF)

Kenneth B. Wilton and Alfred L. Ercoline Bending Brake and Related Records - PP09.07

This collection includes Kenneth B. Wilton and Alfred L. Ercoline's metal Bending Brake prototype, a display of samples of sheet metal bent with the tool, the patent and drawings, and related correspondence between the Technology Utilization Office at Ames and industry.
   + Finding aid (PDF)

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NASA Ames Research Center
History Archives, Mail Stop 207-1
Moffett Field, CA 94035-0001
 
Curator: Ames Research Center Archives