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George M. Low papers

 Collection
Identifier: 1987-12

Scope and Contents

The George M. Low papers (1987-12) are composed of manuscripts, books and artifacts documenting the personal and professional activities of George M. Low (GML), an influential aeronautics and aerospace engineer, federal agency manager, and university president. The collection briefly documents GML's education at RPI and his early professional experience at NACA's Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory. Although GML's work at NASA in the 1950s and early 1960s is not significantly documented here, the collection reflects in detail three of his later positions at the agency. These prove to be key positions in relation to the development and fulfillment of NASA's objectives, and the George M. Low Papers provide fascinating glimpses into the inner workings of the agency at a time of enormous productivity and change. The collection also contains personal papers from GML's creative tenure as RPI's 14th President.

Dates

  • Created: 1930-1984

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Several items removed and restricted to viewing under the strict supervision of an Archivist.

Extent

76.00 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Russian

Additional Description

Arrangement Note

The collection is divided into eight series. Series I. Personal and Biographical Papers (Boxes 1-3); Series II. RPI Student Papers (Boxes 4-7); Series III. Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory Papers (Boxes 7-12); Series IV. NASA Papers (Boxes 13-138); Series V. Later NASA Papers (Boxes 138-143); Series VI. Personal RPI Presidential Papers (Boxes 143-148); Series VII. Library (Boxes 152-164 and shelved volumes); Series VIII. Artifacts (Boxes 165-172)

Related Materials

The following repositories house files created by GML which supplement the George M. Low Papers: 1. Federal Records Center, Suitland, MD; Volume: 8 cubic feet. Files at the Center contain correspondence and subject files created by GML during his early years with NASA.  Included are outgoing and incoming correspondence (1958-1961), and subject files (1959-1963) containing clippings, releases, photographs and contractor documentation pertaining primarily to Project Mercury. 2. NASA History Office, Washington, DC; Volume: approximately 16 cubic feet. The bulk of the GML papers at the History Office is composed of subject files which GML created during his tenure as Deputy and Acting Administrator.  Included are files on administrative issues, other agencies, programs and projects, etc.  The History Office has also collected speeches and photographs from GML's NACA and NASA career, and a portion of their NASA Administrator's chronological file  contains GML correspondence from 1971 to 1975. 3. NASA History Office, Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX; Volume: 2 boxes. Apollo historical files at the JSC History Office include Apollo Spacecraft Program Manager memoranda, 1967-1969.  These appear to be copies of GML's Apollo Notes to Dr. Gilruth.

Processing Information

The George M. Low papers were processed in 1987 and a guide was published in 1988. In 2012 the collection was entered into the Archon database resulting in full search capabilities. The original guide can still be accessed as a pdf by clicking Published Collection Guide on the previous introductory page under Scope and Contents or please contact the Institute Archives and Special Collections.

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Author
Sylvia B. Kennick
Date
00/00/1988
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
eng

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Institute Archives and Special Collections Repository

https://guides.archives.rpi.edu/repositories/2
Contact:
110 8th Street
Institute Archives and Special Collections
Rensselaer Libraries, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Troy NY 12180-3590 US
518 276 8340

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