Peter T. Lyman Collection, 1987-1992.

ArchivalResource

Lyman, Peter T., 1930-. Peter T. Lyman Collection, 1987-1992.

Peter T. Lyman Collection, 1987-1992.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/733100861

The collection is a chronological file of correspondence sent to and from Peter T. Lyman in his duties as JPL Deputy Director. The files include letters, interoffice memoranda, proposals, role statements, and signature sheets to proposals and contracts. Very often only the cover sheet of a proposal, with Lyman's signature, will be found in the files, rather than the proposal as a whole. Each month includes an index at the beginning of the month. Lyman's files reflect routine procedural correspondence as Deputy Director. On a regular basis Lyman as Deputy Director sent memoranda to Elma D. Green, NASA Personnel Exchanges Officer, International Affairs Office, regarding requests to hire foreign nationals at JPL. Beginning in August 1990, the letters to Green were signed by Edmond Momjian of the JPL International Affairs Office, and approved by Lyman. In 1991 these letters were signed by Helen N. Paley of the International Affairs Office, and approved by Lyman. In 1992 Elma Green was succeeded by C. William Hayden as NASA Personnel Exchanges Officer. Lyman also communicated on a regular basis with Lennard A. Fisk, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications, and Robert O. Aller, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations. Lyman routinely received memoranda from Robert E. Sutherland, Manager of Personnel Resources Division (Section 610) at JPL regarding deviations in employment opportunity advertising, when an position would be filled in-house rather than hiring someone outside the Laboratory. Lyman would periodically submit applications of selected JPL personnel to the NASA Management Education Program. The applications included a brief listing of previous managerial experience that each candidate had. Lyman sent all JPL personnel who were detailed to NASA Headquarters a memorandum explaining the terms of reference and memorandum of understanding for the assignment. The memorandum explained personal conduct, travel and expense reimbursements, personnel information, and tax considerations. A letter dated September 6, 1988, from Lyman to Robert O. Aller, NASA Associate Administrator for Space Operations regarding NASA support to the Phobos Project. The letter addressed concerns that the level of commitment in the project had escalated beyond that originally intended. The letter includes a project overview, NASA participation, and value added to the Phobos project. The Phobos Project was two spacecraft launched by the USSR in July 1988 to make detailed studies of Mars and its larger satellite Phobos. The each satellite carried a vehicle designed to land on Phobos and to operate on its surface for a year. The landings were scheduled to occur in April and May 1989. NASA participation included the U.S. Dynamics Experiment on the Lander, headed by Dr. Robert Preston of JPL. The experiment would have measured the orbit of Phobos, the details of Mars' gravity field, and the mass of a number of large asteroids. The Deep Space Network tracked the Phobos landers as well. Phobos-1 was lost due to an erroneous command on the outbound leg to Mars. Phobos-2 was crippled by electronics failures, although it managed to achieve an orbit around Mars in January 1989. There was a loss of signal from the probe as it neared Phobos in March 1989.

1.65 cubic ft. (55 folders)

Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives