Samuel Herrick Papers

Access and use

Location of collection:
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Special Collections, University Libraries (0434)
Newman Library
Virginia Tech
P.O. Box 90001
560 Drillfield Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24062-9001
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (540) 231-6308
Fax: (540) 231-3694
Restrictions:

The collection is open for research with the exception of Box 74, which is restricted for use. Items in Box 74 are restricted for use until 75 years after date of creation.

Terms of access:

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction. Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Preferred citation:

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Samuel Herrick Papers, Ms1978-002, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Summary

Extent:
ca. 85 Cubic Feet 74 boxes, 1 oversize folder
Creator:
Herrick, Samuel, 1911-1974
Abstract:
Samuel Herrick was an astronomer who specialized in celestial mechanics, generally recognized as the founder of the field of astrodynamics. His papers consist of correspondence, notes, drafts of publications, files relating to students and courses, and reprints of the works of others in astronomy and space sciences. Other highlights include Herrick's consulting files for projects such as NASA's Project Mercury, the film ""The Day the Earth Stood Still" (1951), and private industry. This collection is part of the Archives of American Aerospace Exploration at Virginia Tech.
Language:
Most of the materials in this collection are in English. Some materials in Series VI. Professional Societies, Series VII. Publications, and Series XI. Subject Files are in French, German, Russian, Italian, Dutch, Portuguese, or Japanese.
Preferred citation:

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Samuel Herrick Papers, Ms1978-002, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Background

Scope and content:

This collection is made up of the personal and professional papers of Samuel Herrick (1911-1974), astronomer and founder of the field of astrodynamics. It contains personal materials such as biographical and bibliographical information, correspondence, and personal subject files. This collection also contains materials that document Herrick's career in astronomy, beginning with his B.S. in Mathematics from Williams College and including his time teaching at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Among these are notes, drafts of publications, files relating to astrodynamics courses, computer printouts, manuscript calculations, and reprints of the works on others in astronomy and the space sciences. These include notable materials such as correspondence with R. H. Goddard, a development program for the utilization of celestial mechanics in the solution of space navigation problems, the founding of the Astrodynamics Colloquium at UCLA, consulting files for NASA's Project Mercury and the film "The Day the Earth Stood Still," and a comprehensive two-volume work on Astrodynamics, published by Van Nostrand in 1971-1972. Materials are largely textual, consisting of correspondence, memoranda, reports, clippings, publications, and others. This collection also includes glass plates, Fortran computer printouts, and some drawings.

Series I. Biographical Information, 1949-1973. This series is made up of materials relating to Herrick's life, such as biographical sketches of Herrick, biographical directory files, complete and partial bibliographies, and a personal reading log. These include information about his life, professional activities, honors and memeberships in societies, publications, and citations.

Series II. Academic Files, 1930-1974. This series contains materials related to Herrick's academic activities. This includes files and notes from his time as a student at Williams College, correspondence with faculty, files from his time with UCLA, course notes and materials from courses he taught, and student dissertations, theses, and comprehensive exams.

Sub-Series A. Academic Activities and Affairs, 1935-1973, includes academic affairs files (1930-1970), UCLA Astronomy Dept.; Guggenheim fellowship (1945-1951); UCLA files; Hunsaker professorship at MIT (1961-1962); reviews of others' works; Los Angeles Advisory Committee (1964-1968); and participation in "Los Angeles in Paris" trip (1967-1968).

Sub-Series B. Correspondence, 1931-1972, consists of academic correspondence, including correspondence with R. H. Goddard.

Sub-Series C. Course Materials, 1948-1974. This sub-series includes course notes, outlines, and exams for space navigation (1955) and astrodynamics courses.

Sub-Series D. S.H. Students' Dissertations, Theses, and Comprehensive Exams, 1965-1973, includes drafts and completed versions of dissertations, theses, and comprehensive exams from students Herrick taught.

Sub-Series E. Williams College, 1930-1969. This sub-series includes Williams College course notes; S.H. thesis and papers; and William College Correspondence.

Series III. Correspondence, 1930-1973. This series contains correspondence between Herrick and others ranging from 1930 to 1973.

Series IV. Consulting, 1940-1966. This series includes contracts and consultations, such as Ohio State Mapping Lab, Lockheed, North American Aviation, Army Air Force, NSF Grant G976, Western Data Processing Center, and 20th Century Fox [Consulting for "The Day the Earth Stood Still"]. It also includes materials such as monthly reports, proposals, and logs.

Series V. Presentations and Lectures, 1955-1964. This series consists of notes, outlines, slides, and other materials related to talks, presentations, and lectures given by Herrick. This includes talks and presentations given for organizations such as AIAA and IAU, covering topics such as differential correction, variation of parameters, planetary motions, and asteroids.

Series VI. Professional Societies, 1925-1973. This series includes materials related to professional societies in the space sciences, including, but not limited to: the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, American Academy of Mechanics, American Academy of Sciences, American Rocket Society, British Interplanetary Society, and the International Academy of Astronautics. Materials include membership information, board of directors files, awards, annual meeting and conference notes, committees, reports, and journals.

Series VII. Publications, including Reprints and Drafts, 1932-1973. This series includes drafts and reprints of Herrick's many works, notably Astrodynamics, published in 1971-1972. The series also contains correspondence about Herrick's publications or his reviews of work published by others. There are also reprints of the works of others in astronomy and space sciences.

Series VIII. Manuscript Calculations, 1948-1972. This series consists of calculations used in Herrick's studies of minor planets and objects. It includes materials such as shock waves of Icarus calculations, Project 15, minor planets and objects, perturbations, geophysical constraints and correction methods, collection of formulae, and ephemeral calculations.

Series IX. Computer Printouts, 1965-1973. This series includes early SH printouts, calculations, and Fortran computer runs such as Betulia ephemeris, Icarus ephemerides, Geographos, planetary coordinates, and two-body problems. Much of the computer printouts were created by Gary R. Smith, who received his Ph.D. in astrodynamics at UCLA in 1972 from Herrick.

Series X. Card Files, n.d. This series contains 4 sets card files with names and addresses of Herrick's contacts and bibliographies for celestial mechanics and astrodynamics.

Series XI. Subject Files, 1924-1981. This series includes Herrick's files on a variety of subjects. These materials reflect his professional and personal interests, including early computers, minor planets, space exploration, and piano music. Notable materials include Aeronutronic Systems Division-Ford files, Technical Study #3, mathematics publications, Jet Propulsion Laboratory reports, files on Betulia, Icarus, Geographos, and Jupiter IX and XII, Minor Planet Center Notices, and notes on navigation.

Series XII. Drawings and Calculations, 1949, n.d. This series consists of oversize drawings and calculations, including rectilinear tables, the nonimal system, and navigational drawings.

Biographical / historical:

Samuel Herrick, generally recognized as the founder of the field of astrodynamics, was born in Madison County, Virginia, in 1911. He received a B. S. in Mathematics from Williams College in 1932 and a Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of California at Berkeley in 1936. Most of his teaching career was spent at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). Herrick served as an instructor in the Astronomy Department from 1937 to 1942; as an assistant professor from 1942 to 1947; as an associate professor from 1947 to 1952; and as a professor from 1952 to 1962. He was the Hunsaker Professor of Astronomy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology during 1961-1962 and was made a professor in the Astronomy and Engineering Departments at UCLA in 1962. Herrick died in 1974.

Herrick's work applied the classic disciplines of celestial mechanics and mathematics to the special problems of space trajectory research. His studies of the celestial mechanics aspects of space navigation date from 1931, when he received advice and encouragement from R. H. Goddard. As early as 1936, he formulated a development program for the utilization of celestial mechanics in the solution of space navigation problems destined to become real problems only two decades later. In 1946, Herrick instituted a course in Rocket Navigation, the world's first university course designed specifically for astronautics. In 1957, he founded the Astrodynamics Colloquium at UCLA to facilitate communication among scientists engaged in rocket research.

Herrick's publications number over two hundred items, culminating in his comprehensive two-volume work on Astrodynamics, published by Van Nostrand in 1971-1972. His principal contributions to scientific theory are in the areas of orbit determination and ephemeris integration; universal variables; perturbation theory and variation of parameters; differential correction and least squares; space navigation; and sea and air navigation. Further information on Herrick and his accomplishments can be found in the biographical files in Box 1 of the collection.

Acquisition information:
The Samuel Herrick Papers were donated to Special Collections and University Archives in 1978.
Processing information:

Minimal description was completed prior to 1998.

Additional processing, arrangement and description of the Samuel Herrick Papers was completed as part of the project, "Piercing the Veil: Creating Access to the Archives of American Aerospace Exploration at Virginia Tech," funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) in 2024.

Arrangement:
Astrodynamics
  • The Betulia Files contain materials relating to the asteroid (1580) Betulia, named for Samuel Herrick's wife, Betulia Toro Herrick. This includes an article, calculations, correspondence, ephemerides, numerical integration, observations, elements, oppositions, and representations.
  • The Icarus Files contain materials relating to the near-Earth object (1566) Icarus, including ephemerides, residuals, correspondence, history and facts, observations, orbit graphs, and publications.
  • The Geographos Files contain materials relating to the asteroid (1620) Geographos, including early Encke orbit files, elements, ellipse graphs, ephemerides, general information, publicity, variation of parameters, and possible exploration.
  • The Jupiter IX and Jupiter XII Files contain materials relating to Jupiter IX (an irregular satellite of Jupiter now known as Sinope) and Jupiter XII (an irregular moon of Jupiter now known as Ananke). This includes Cowell integrations, ephemeris, graphs, basic calculations, history, general information, variation of constants, observations and representations, and publicity.
  • Items not included in the above files consist of materials relating to other minor planets and objects, such as Lanzia, the Swift comet, and the Wilson object. This includes graphs and calculations, articles, observations, general information, history, ephemerides, opposition graphs, formulae, and procedures. Also included are Minor Planet Center Notices 151 through 2800, and 3535 through 3602.
Physical location:
Please note: This collection is in off-site storage and requires 2-3 days notice for retrieval. Please contact Special Collections and University Archives for more information.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard