Gilruth, Robert R. (Robert Rowe), 1913-2000

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Gilruth was Director of MSC.

From the description of Ranger 6 Camera Failure : letter to William H. Pickering, JPL Director, 1964 Feb 13. (Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives). WorldCat record id: 733098480

Robert R. Gilruth (1913-2000) was an aerospace engineer and NACA/NASA administrator. He received his B.S. in aeronautical engineering from the University of Minnesota (1935), as well as his M.S. (1936). Gilruth was also a flight research engineer for Langley Aeronautical Laboratory of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (1937-1945). From 1945 to 1950, he worked as chief of the Pilotless Aircraft Research Division, and assistant director (1950-58). He headed the Space Task Group for NASA (1958-61), and was charged with directing Project Mercury. From 1961 to 1972, he was the first director of the NASA Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC) in Houston.

The NASA website has a number of more extensive resources on Gilruth's work, including interviews and press releases, discoverable by going to the site and searching "Gilruth."

From the guide to the Robert R. Gilruth Papers, 1936-1989, (Special Collections, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Archives of American Aerospace Exploration. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Piccard Family Papers, circa 1470-1983, (bulk 1926-1983) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn National Air and Space Museum. Dept. of Space History. The Glennan-Webb-Seamans Project for Research in Space History, 1985-1990. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
creatorOf Hall, R. Cargill. Essays on the History of Rocketry and Astronautics : Proceedings of the Third Through the Sixth History Symposia of the International Academy of Astronautics, Volume II 1977. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn Records of the U.S. Information Agency. 1900 - 2003. Audio Recordings. 1942 - 1999. REPORT ON SPACE National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Melvin N. Gough Papers, 1919-1971 Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
creatorOf Robert R. Gilruth Papers, 1936-1989 Special Collections, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
creatorOf Gibson, Forest S. Forest S. Gibson Collection, 1967-1971. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
creatorOf Gilruth, Robert R.,. Ranger 6 Camera Failure : letter to William H. Pickering, JPL Director, 1964 Feb 13. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
creatorOf Kloman, Erasmus H. Surveyor Project Documents Collection, 1966-1971. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
Role Title Holding Repository
Place Name Admin Code Country
Subject
United States
Archives of American Aerospace Exploration (AAAE)
Ranger 6 lunar probe
Science and technology
Occupation
Aerospace engineers
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Activity

Corporate Body

Active 1913

Active 2000

Birth 1913-10-18

Death 2000-08-17

English

Information

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