UAH Archives, Special Collections, and Digital Initiatives

Browse Items (97 total)

  • spc_ward_000025_01.mp3

    Short phone call where Bob Ward inquires about Ivo Sparkman's husband, Senator John Sparkman, and his relationship with President Roosevelt. Side 1 to 3:00 mark.
  • spc_ward_000024_01.mp3

    Bob Ward calls Frances G. Moore to ask about stories relating to Wernher von Braun. Main story relates to what some of the engineers did after work. Side 1 through 24:00.
  • spc_ward_000023_01.mp3

    Bob Ward gets lunch with Lee B. James. They discuss stories relating to Wernher von Braun over lunch. Mentioned are von Braun's meeting style, speeches, salesmanship, and how he handled publicity. Both sides of tape.
  • spc_ward_000022_01.mp3

    Phone call between Georg von Tiesenhausen and Bob Ward on working with Wernher von Braun on the V2 rocket. Bad static in first half of tape. Entirety of side 1.
  • spc_ward_000021_01.mp3

    Phone conversation between Bob Ward and Rocky Clarke on Wernher von Braun. Topics covered include von Braun's humor and his relations with other team members. Entirety of side 1.
  • spc_ward_000020_01.mp3

    Frank Williams talks to Bob Ward about Wernher von Braun. Of particular note are stories regarding von Braun's office relationships and his ability to communicate. Both sides of tape, through side 2 is inaudible.
  • spc_ward_000019_01.mp3

    Phone call from Bob Ward to Harry Atkins. Conversation about Wernher von Braun stories and how the space program began in Huntsville. Also discussed is historical revisionism around von Braun and his team. Side 1 of tape up tp 42:30.
  • spc_ward_000018_01.mp3

    Bob Ward calls Chuck Lundquist to talk about and stories he knows relating to Wernher von Braun. Lundquist relates a few tales relating to von Braun's work in the early days of NASA as well as his family and the way he handled meetings. Entirety of side 1.
  • spc_ward_000017_01.mp3

    Phone call from Bob Ward to Ed Barisford regarding any stories involving Wernher von Braun he knew. Barisford related a couple stories about von Braun's flying habits, which was his primary connection to Barisford. Side 1 to 32:00.
  • spc_ward_000016_01.mp3

    Talk between Leland Belew and Bob Ward about Wernher von Braun. Belew relates a couple of stories relation to von Braun's planning ability, his role in Skylab, and his awareness of his illness. Both sides of tape.
  • spc_ward_000015_01.mp3

    Conversation between Bob Ward and Jay Foster on interaction with Wernher von Braun. Foster relates a number of stories touching on von Braun's love of flying and professional associations, among others. Both sides of tape.
  • spc_ward_000014_01.mp3

    Bob Ward interviews P. Petroff, asking about Wernher von Braun stories. Petroff relates a number of stories relating to von Braun's early life. Side 1 of tape.
  • spc_ward_000013_01.mp3

    Conversation between Bob Ward and Ed Grubbs, a pilot of Wernher von Braun. Covered are von Braun's love of flying and his health towards the end of his life. Side 1 through 11:40 on side 2.
  • spc_ward_000012_01.mp3

    Interview between Bob Ward and Alex McCool. Topic covered included Wernher von Braun's interactions with Marshall personnel as well as how history will interpret von Braun. Both sides of tape.
  • spc_ward_000011_01.mp3

    Phone call between Bob Ward and C.E. Monroe. Short talk centers around Wernher von Braun and living on Monte Sano in Huntsville, Alabama. All of side 1.
  • spc_ward_000010_01.mp3

    Phone call between Dorette Schlidt and Bob Ward on different aspects and emotions of the von Brauns leaving Huntsville, Alabama. Side 1 thru 6:00.
  • spc_ward_000009_01.mp3

    Phone conversation between Bob Ward and Mr. Hewitt. Hewitt speaks about Wernher von Braun's gift for oration and some of the stories he shared about his past. Full side of tape.
  • spc_ward_000008_01.mp3

    Phone call between Dr. William Pickering and Bob Ward on encounters Pickering had with Wernher von Braun. Not very audible. Side 1 up to 19:00.
  • spc_ward_000007_01.mp3

    Side one of tape is a recording of a speech given by Tom Wolfe to a Rotary Club on the making and the early years on the United States space program. Recording followed by a note from Ward.
  • spc_ward_000006_01.mp3

    Fred Ordway talks about notable stories with Wernher von Braun, including attending meetings, hunting, and von Braun's sense of humor. Both sides of tape.
  • spc_ward_000005_01.mp3

    Phone Conversation with a Senator on interactions with astronaut John Glenn and Wernher von Braun. Full side of tape.
  • spc_ward_000004_01.mp3

    Interview with Dr. William Lucas on Wernher von Braun, comparing and contrasting him to Robert Goddard and setting up the University of Alabama in Huntsville, along with other stories. Both sides of tape.
  • spc_ward_000003_01.mp3

    Interview with Jim Shepherd on memories from Wernher von Braun, including him hunting and working with space camp. Both sides of tape.
  • spc_ward_000002_01.mp3

    Interview with Tom Shaver on Wernher von Braun, describing his character, personality, and funny stories from his time as von Braun's assistant. Entirety of side one, side 2 through 45 minute mark.
  • spc_ward_000001_01.mp3

    Phone Conversation with Dr. Adolf Thiel about Dr. Wernher von Braun and their time working together at Peenemünde and in the United States. Side 1 begninning to 14:18.
  • Friday__September_28__2018_at_10_34_25_AM_default_122089af.mp4

    Charles Van Valkenburg grew up in Huntsville, AL, and he went to Auburn University. There, he majored in Industrial Design and he had a part-time job as a draftsman at one of the civil engineering firms. After graduating college, he received a job at Essex in Huntsville. At this job, Charles would get in the water of the Neutral Buoyancy Tank and make sure that all the tools and everything was in place for an astronaut. Sometimes, he would even be the test subject. After all the testing from the day, they would all have a debriefing session at this company where the astronaut, human factors experts, and engineers would all make inputs. After the debriefing, they would take the ideas and get the machinists to make some modifications to the hardware. Charles would also work in pressure suits, and he explains how restricted the suit made him feel. He also mentions the foot restraints, and how difficult they were to work with. In his career, Charles was also able to help design the underwater version of the manned maneuvering unit.
  • spc_stnv_000016_01.mp3

    Interview on Materials Management, Configuration Management, and Changes in Design. Full side of tape.
  • spc_stnv_000015_01.mp3

    Interview with Rocketdyne engineers on rocket engine design and stability. Both sides of tape.
  • spc_stnv_000014_01.mp3

    Interview with German engineer on engine design, propellants, thermodynamics, and design barriers and overcoming them. Both sides of tape.
  • spc_stnv_000013_01.mp3

    Interview on the Development of Saturn and the general design and management philospohy of NASA. One side of tape only.
  • spc_stnv_000012_01.mp3

    Interview on the development of Saturn engine design and control, as well as life at the Mississippi engine test site. Both sides of the tape.
  • spc_stnv_000011_01.mp3

    Interview on the fuels involved in the Saturn as well as the transport and management of these fuels. Both sides of tape.
  • spc_stnv_000010_01.mp3

    Interview on the developments on Thor applied to the Saturn Program, structures, Welding, Machining of Part, and Insulation of the rocket. Both sides of tape.
  • spc_stnv_000009_01.mp3

    Side 1 is an interview with Weidner and Neubert on the testing of Saturn and the different design philosophies of various NASA groups.
  • spc_stnv_000008_01.mp3

    Interviews with Sawyer (0 - 16:58 S1) and Kudebeh (16:58 S1 - end S2) on weight penalties, schedule/performance bonuses, and project management.
  • spc_stnv_000007_01.mp3

    Interview with Davenport (0-23:44 S1) and Shields (23:44 S1 - end S2). Topics covered include the reliability of the F1 engine, Skylab, and electronic manufacturing.
  • spc_stnv_000006_01.mp3

    Dieter Grau interviewed on failure analysis and management of Saturn program. Both sides of tape.
  • Friday__November_10__2017_at_11_59_55_AM_default_288347a7.mp4

    Dr. John Rogers is from Kansas, and in Kansas, John loved to drive out into the prarie and find places where there had been homesteads. There, he would lay on the ground and look up at the stars at night. This all inspired him to get involved with the space station, and human factors engineering. John received his Bachelor's degree at Kansas State University, and then he received his Master's degree at The University of Arkansas. At this point, he took up a teaching job in Arkansas, and during that period of time, he recieved a National Science Foundation summer research fellowship at Florida State University. There, John did research on the effects of radiation on the human body. After leaving his teaching job, he went to the University of Mexico to pursue his Phd. While he was there, he was able to be a part of a summer program that pushed him towards his career. Since John did such a great job at the summer program, they kept him on as a consultant where he could work unlimited hours, and work any time he wanted to. The work that he did there included: examining human air and organizations, and considering what was the common factor/the emphasis in the atomic energy. After his job there, he started working at NASA in June of 1967. His job tasks there included: looking at the simulations and to look at the experimental design. He also had to try to make sure that they had solid statistics behind their results that were being detained.
  • Friday__March_9__2018_at_11_03_22_AM_default_5387bb7d.mp4

    Kim B. Robertson is a retired Design Engineer, and has lived in Huntsville, AL his whole life. He grew up in the Monte Santo Mountain area where most of the German scientists on Von Braun's missile team lived, so being involved with the Space Station was always a part of his life growing up. He knew from an early age that Huntsville was where he always wanted to live, and this is the area that he wanted to work in. Robertson eventually went to Auburn University where he was able to work on a Marshall project. He was able to work on the Industrial Design team there, and he, along with his group, was asked to do some design work to get ideas for Skylab and the Space Station. After graduating from Auburn, he joined the National Guard with a year of active duty. While being in the National Guard, he became a ground-radio maintenance technician. His first job in Huntsville was working at URS Matrix, and there he worked on the hand-controller for the shuttle arm. He also did some volumetric studies for putting experiments in the back part of the shuttle work-area.
  • Friday__December_1__2017_at_11_58_20_AM_default_77191c8c.mp4

    John H. Reese was born in the Jefferson hospital in Birmingham, AL in 1945. He went to Fairfield High school in Tennessee, and graduated in 1963. He then went to Auburn University and went into Pre-Engineering. John received his engineering degree in 1969. The reason it took him 6 years to graduate is because he had to work his way through school on the cooperative education program. His brother-in-law worked at NASA at the time, and he got John interested in the Space Program. John then decided to co-op with the Marshall Space Flight Center and he applied with the Engineering Cooperative Education office. He then decided to send his resume to NASA, and received a job offer soon after. In this job, he helped do all the structural testing on the various modules and components of the Saturn I and Saturn fives. He was also involved in the Hubble Space Telescope Mock-Up. John's job was to come up with the foot-restraint systems, tether points, etc.
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