Scarce Spaceflight and ICBM Publications (1961-1964)

 

Proposal for Development and Preparation of Space Vehicle Design Criteria and Design Criteria Documentation. 7 February 1964. Submitted to Systems Engineering Group, Air Force Systems Command, USAF, Wright-Patterson AFB.  $225.00

Volume 1, Technical. TRW Space Technology Laboratories.

11x8.5”, 4 sections: 18, 22, 29, 121, 20pp. NO copies located in WorldCat for this title.

The table of contents states the following, though there is one long contribution that is unstated and one that is not included:

“Section 8. Related Publications.” 18pp

A1—“Overall Systems Design Criteria.” 22pp.

A2—Minuteman Structural Design Criteria. (Cover sheet “(Unclassified) Minuteman Structural Design Criteria”), 29pp

A3—“Attitude Control of Earth Satellites” [not bound in this collection]

A4—“Energy Sources and Power Conversion,” 20pp

Between A2 and A3 is the following, with a separate title page:

Whitford, R.K. Design of Attitude Control Systems for Earth Satellites, 30 June 1961. 2313-0001-RU-000 Space Technology Laboratories. 121pp. Plus two appendices, A+B, 10pp+8pp. NO copies located in WorldCat. Scarce.

This is a little bibliographically complicated. The front wrapper states that this is “volume 1”, though it has the feel of a volume 2, particularly since it begins with “Section 8”. Some of the contents seem to be stand-alones (as with the Minuteman and the Whitford papers), though the Whitford is the only paper with a title page.

Bound in a TRW paper wrapper with folding clips; all sections three-ring hole-punched.

Rarity or scarcity: NO copies located in WORLDCAT/OCLC (NYPL system).

• NO copies located in the massive database for worldwide library holdings, WorldCat. (“WorldCat is a union catalog that itemizes the collections of 17,900 libraries in 123 countries and territories that participate in the OCLC global cooperative. It is operated by OCLC, Inc. The subscribing member libraries collectively maintain WorldCat's database, the world's largest bibliographic database.”--Wikipedia)

Condition:  VG, a 7.5 on a 1-10 scale, with 10 being “new”.  Nice and fresh.  $250

• (Condition grading is compared to the condition of the publication when it was new;  to give a condition quote that states "good for its age" comparing something to a fluid state without a common denominator is almost without value, so the publication is compared to its condition when it was first published.)