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Finding Aids to Personal Papers and Special Collections in the Smithsonian Institution Archives

Accession 10-004

Simons, Keneth A.

Keneth A. Simons Papers, circa 1957-1958

Repository:Smithsonian Institution Archives, Washington, D.C. Contact us at osiaref@si.edu.
Creator:Simons, Keneth A.
Title:Keneth A. Simons Papers
Dates:circa 1957-1958
Quantity:0.58 cu. ft. (1 tall document box)
Collection:Accession 10-004
Language of Materials:English
Summary:

This accession consists of records created and maintained by Simons documenting his participation on the Moonwatch Team and the local publicity he received. Materials include a report on the Team's work, clippings, instructions for tracking satellites, tracking data, and audio recordings of satellites.

Historical Note

Keneth A. Simons (March 10, 1913-June 14, 2004), ham radio operator and cable television and radio engineer worked for Bell Telephone Laboratories and later was a founding employee of Jerrold Electronics Corporation. In 1957, he became involved in the Bryn Athyn Moonwatch Team as a radio engineer. Moonwatch teams were established around the world by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Moonwatch Division, 1956-1975, to track and photograph artificial satellites. The Bryn Athyn Moonwatch Team was relatively unique in that it combined the use of radios and telescopes to track satellites. Simons was primarily involved in Doppler tracking the Sputnik satellites.

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Descriptive Entry

This accession consists of records created and maintained by Simons documenting his participation on the Moonwatch Team and the local publicity he received. Materials include a report on the Team's work, clippings, instructions for tracking satellites, tracking data, and audio recordings of satellites.

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Preferred Citation

Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 10-004, Keneth A. Simons Papers

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Container List

Box 1

Tracking Sputnik with the Bryn Athyn Moonwatchers - Report and Figures by Ken Simons, Research Engineer, Jerrold Electronics Corporation

Box 1 of 1

Modified Orbital Elements for Earth Satellite 1958-B2 - Forms

Box 1 of 1

Simplified Satellite Prediction from Modified Orbital Elements - National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council, Draft, August 29, 1958

Box 1 of 1

Volunteer International Geophysical Year Satellite Tracking Program - Instructions, October 1958

Box 1 of 1

Bryn Athyn Moonwatch Team Newspaper Clippings, 1957

Box 1 of 1

Audio Recordings of Sputnik Satellites, 1/4" audiotape (2 reels)

Box 1 of 1

"Voices of the Satellites: Authentic 'Live' Recording of Radio Signals from Man's First Five Satellites," Recorded by Professor Thomas A. Benham from the Campus of Haverford College, 1/4" audiotape

Box 1 of 1

Doppler Curve Correspondence, 1957 (Accession 10-097)

Box 1 of 1

Participation Recognition (Accession 10-097)

Box 1 of 1

Bryn Athyn Moonwatch Team - Local Newspaper Clippings, 1957-1958 (Accession 10-097)

Box 1 of 1

Institute of Radio Engineers, Philadelphia Section, "Almanack," February 1958 (Accession 10-097)

Box 1 of 1

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