Glennan-Webb-Seamans Project Interviews, 1985-1990 Mark Kahn 2007 National Air and Space Museum Archives 14390 Air & Space Museum Parkway Chantilly, VA 20151 [email protected] https://airandspace.si.edu/archives Table of Contents Collection Overview ........................................................................................................ 1 Administrative Information .............................................................................................. 1 Arrangement..................................................................................................................... 2 Scope and Contents........................................................................................................ 2 Biographical / Historical.................................................................................................... 2 General note.................................................................................................................... 3 Names and Subjects ...................................................................................................... 3 Container Listing ............................................................................................................. 4 Series 1: Audio Cassette Tapes of Interviews, 1984-1994....................................... 4 Series 2: Transcripts of interviews, 1985-1994...................................................... 13 Glennan-Webb-Seamans Project Interviews NASM.1999.0036 Collection Overview Repository: National Air and Space Museum Archives Title: Glennan-Webb-Seamans Project Interviews Identifier: NASM.1999.0036 Date: 1985-1990 Extent: 3.01 Cubic feet (16 boxes ) Creator: Collins, Martin Language: English . Summary: This collection consists of the transcripts for the Glennen-Webb- Seamans Project (GWS), which examines various aspects of NASA management practices during the Apollo program. This project constitutes one of several oral history projects conducted within the Department of Space History, NASM. The principal investigator for the GWS was Martin Collins and the interview set contains 193 hours of interviews with 22 individuals. The central thread of this collection was the problem of configuring new political relations among the space sciences and sponsors. The following individuals were interviewed: J. Leland Atwood; Delmer Bradshaw; James Burnett; Paul Demitriades; Edward Doll; Peter Downey; Brian Duff; James Elms; James Fletcher; Robert Gilruth; T. Keith Glennan; Donald Jacobs; Ruben Mettler; Mark Miller; George Mueller; Samuel Phillips; Simon Ramo; Robert Seamans; Willis Shapley; Abe Silverstein; David Soergel; Harrison Storms; James Webb; Thorton Wilson; and Herbert York. Administrative Information Acquisition Information Department of Space History, Transfer, 1999, 1999-0036, Varies Processing Information Arranged and described by Mark Kahn, 2007. Encoded by Rihoko Ueno, 2012. Preferred Citation Glennan-Webb-Seamans Project Interviews, Acc. 1999-0036, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution. Restrictions Various restrictions apply. Page 1 of 17 Glennan-Webb-Seamans Project Interviews NASM.1999.0036 Conditions Governing Use 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. Biographical / Historical This collection contains the interviews of the Glennan-Webb-Seamans Project (GWS). These interviews analyze a variety of facets revolving around NASA management and its handling of contractors during the Apollo program. The individuals listed as part of this collection's name refer to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) first two administrators and the agency's deputy administrator during much of the 1960s. The principal (though, by no means the only) interviewer for this project was Martin Collins and the interview set consists of 193 hours of interviews with 26 individuals. These interview subjects represent some of the most influential decision-makers at NASA, the aerospace industry and academia. The following were interviewed for this project: J. Leland Atwood; Delmer Bradshaw; James Burnett; Paul Demitriades; Edward Doll; Peter Downey; Brian Duff; James Elms; James Fletcher; Robert Gilruth; T. Keith Glennan; Donald Jacobs; Ruben Mettler; Mark Miller; John Moore; George Mueller; Samuel Phillips; Simon Ramo; Robert Seamans; Willis Shapley; Abe Silverstein; David Soergel; Harrison Storms; James Webb; Thornton Wilson and Herbert York. Among the myriad of topics discussed in these interviews is the Apollo 1 [204] fire that killed astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee on January 27, 1967, during a test at the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida. The GWS Project constitutes one of a number of oral history efforts endeavors conducted by the National Air and Space Museum's (NASM) Department of Space History. Scope and Contents The Glennan-Webb-Seamans Project Interviews consist of 193 hours of interviews with 26 individuals. The audio cassette tapes of these interviews have yet to be remastered and, due to their fragility, are unavailable to researchers. Transcripts are available to researchers, though there are restrictions placed on a number of them. A NASM staff member will advise the patron which transcripts are available for copying or viewing and how to order copies of transcripts and/or CDs. Arrangement The Glennan-Webb-Seamans (GWS) Project Interviews are arranged alphabetically by interviewee. Boxes 1-11 (Series 1) contain the interviews on audio cassette tapes. These tapes have yet to be remastered and, due to their fragility, are not available to researchers. Boxes 12-16 (Series 2) contain the transcripts for these cassette tapes. Most of these transcripts are available to researchers, though restrictions are placed on a small number of them. Transcripts with user restrictions are highlighted in bold type. Page 2 of 17 Glennan-Webb-Seamans Project Interviews NASM.1999.0036 General This collection consists of the interview transcripts, not the tapes. Names and Subject Terms This collection is indexed in the online catalog of the Smithsonian Institution under the following terms: Subjects: Astronautics Types of Materials: Transcripts Names: Atwood, John Leland, 1904-1999 Bradshaw, Delmer Burnett, James Demitriades, Paul Doll, Edward Downey, Peter Duff, Brian. Elms, James C., 1916- Fletcher, James Gilruth, Robert Glennan, Thomas Keith, 1905-1995 Glennan-Webb-Seamans Project for Research in Space History Jacobs, Donald Mettler, Ruben F., 1924- Miller, Mark Mueller, G. E. (George Edwin), 1918- Phillips, Samuel Project Apollo (U.S.) Ramo, Simon Seamans, Robert C. Shapley, Willis Silverstein, Abe Soergel, David Storms, Harrison A., Jr., 1915-1992 Webb, James E. (James Edwin), 1906- Wilson, Thorton York, Herbert F. (Herbert Frank) Page 3 of 17 Series 1: Audio Cassette Tapes of Interviews Glennan-Webb-Seamans Project Interviews NASM.1999.0036 Container Listing Series 1: Audio Cassette Tapes of Interviews, 1984-1994 11 Boxes Box 1 Atwood, January 19, 1989 [tape 1 of 2] , 1989 January 19 Box 1 Atwood, January 19, 1989 [tape 2 of 2] , 1989 January 19 Box 1 Atwood, June 20, 1989 [tape 1 of 2] , 1989 June 20 Box 1 Atwood, June 20, 1989 [tape 2 of 2] , 1989 June 20 Box 1 Atwood, June 24, 1989 [tape 1 of 2] , 1989 June 24 Box 1 Atwood, June 24, 1989 [tape 2 of 2] , 1989 June 24 Box 1 Atwood, August 22, 1989 , 1989 August 22 Box 1 Atwood, August 25, 1989 [tape 1 of 2] , 1989 August 25 Box 1 Atwood, August 25, 1989 [tape 2 of 2] , 1989 August 25 Box 1 Atwood, January 12, 1990 , 1990 January 12 Box 1 Atwood, June 25, 1990, 1990 June 25 Box 1 Bradshaw, August 26, 1988 , 1988 August 26 Box 1 Burnett, June 19, 1989 [tape 1 of 2] , 1989 June 19 Box 1 Burnett, June 19, 1989 [tape 2 of 2] , 1989 June 19 Box 1 Burnett, January 10, 1990 [tape 1 of 2] , 1990 January 10 Box 1 Burnett, January 10, 1990 [tape 2 of 2] , 1990 January 10 Box 1 Demitriades, February 28, 1989, 1989 February 28 Box 2 Doll, June 23, 1989 , 1989 June 23 Box 2 Downey, February 28, 1984 , 1984 February 28 Page 4 of 17 Series 1: Audio Cassette Tapes of Interviews Glennan-Webb-Seamans Project Interviews NASM.1999.0036 Box 2 Duff, April 24, 1989 , 1989 April 24 Box 2 Duff, April 26, 1989 , 1989 April 26 Box 2 Duff, May 1, 1989 , 1989 May 1 Box 2 Duff, May 24, 1989 , 1989 May 24 Box 2 Elms, January 13, 1987 [tape 1 of 2] , 1987 January 13 Box 2 Elms, January 13, 1987 [tape 2 of 2] , 1987 January 13 Box 2 Elms, July 1, 1987 [tape 1 of 2] , 1987 July 1 Box 2 Elms, July 1, 1987 [tape 2 of 2] , 1987 July 1 Box 2 Elms, March 2, 1988 , 1988 March 2 Box 2 Elms, May 5, 1988 [tape 1 of 2] , 1988 May 5 Box 2 Elms, May 5, 1988 [tape 2 of 2] , 1988 May 5 Box 2 Elms, September 16, 1988 [tape 1 of 3] , 1988 September 16 Box 2 Elms, September 16, 1988 [tape 2 of 3] , 1988 September 16 Box 2 Elms, September 16, 1988 [tape 3 of 3], 1988 September 16 Box 3 Elms, January 12, 1989 [tape 1 of 2] , 1989 January 12 Box 3 Elms, January 12, 1989 [tape 2 of 2] , 1989 January 12 Box 3 Fletcher, May 17, 1989 , 1989 May 17 Box 3 Gilruth and Faget, September 1978 , 1978 September Box 3 Gilruth, May 14, 1986 [ tape 1 of 3], 1986 May 14 Box 3 Gilruth, May 14, 1986 [ tape 2 of 3] , 1986 May 14 Box 3 Gilruth, May 14, 1986 [ tape 3 of 3] , 1986 May 14 Page 5 of 17 Series 1: Audio Cassette Tapes of Interviews Glennan-Webb-Seamans Project Interviews NASM.1999.0036 Box