Gates, Clarence R., 1926-2008.

Clarence Rollins "Johnny" Gates was born in Belvidere, IL on August 21, 1926. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Oklahoma in 1947 and his doctorate in electrical engineering and mathematics from California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 1951.

Gates joined the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in September 1950. His early work included electronic systems reliability, communications research, and guidance systems. He then managed the systems design for the original Ranger and Mariner deep space probes, and also managed the computing and spacecraft control centers at JPL.

Gates served as Group Supervisor, Reliability Group, from 1951-54, and Group Supervisor, of the Communications Group from 1954-57. In 1957, Gates became the Section Manager of the Systems Analysis Section, serving from 1957 to 1961.

Gates became Acting Division Chief of the Systems Division (31) from 1961-63. He became Division Chief of the Systems Division from 1963-67. For a brief time in 1967, Gates served as Division Manager of Voyager Mission Operations (22). From May 1969 to August 1976, Gates was Division Manager of the Mission Analysis Division (39). In August 1976, Gates again served as Division Manager of the Systems Division (31), in the position until March 1980. From March 1980 to September 1981, Gates served as Deputy Assistant Laboratory Director (ALD) of the Technical Divisions (3XX). In September 1981, when Fred Felberg was promoted to Associate Director for Institutional Programs, Gates advanced to ALD of Technical Divisions, serving in the position until August 1987. Gates again was promoted upon the retirement of Felberg to Associate Director in August 1987, a position he served until his own retirement at the end of December 1990. Gates retired from JPL in December 1990, but served as an on-call Senior Advisor until 1995.

Gates received NASA's Exceptional Service Medal and the Institute of Navigation's Thurlow Award for his work in space navigation.

From the description of Clarence R. Gates Collection, 1980-1995. (Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives). WorldCat record id: 733100926