Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech
Marjorie Rhodes Townsend Papers
Townsend, Marjorie Rhodes, 1930-2015
Ms.1986.003
4.6 Cubic Feet
7 boxes and 1 oversize folder
1960-1994, n.d.
Marjorie Rhodes Townsend (1930-2015) was the first women to earn an engineering degree at George Washington University, receiving her Bachelor of Electrical Engineering in 1951. After eight years at the Naval Research Laboratory, she moved to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)'s Goddard Space Flight Center in 1959, where she worked until 1980. Townsend was project manager for three Small Astronomy Satellites (SAS, 1966-1975) and for Applications Explorer Missions (1975-1976), and later had responsibility for all advanced mission planning for future scientific and applications satellites as well as NOAA's meteorological satellites. Townsend's papers, 1960-1994, n.d., focus on her professional career in aerospace engineering at NASA and include some of her later consulting work, mainly consisting of correspondence, meeting notes, project documents, and publications that Townsend wrote or that relate to her work. There are also materials about her numerous speaking engagements and articles about Townsend's professional accomplishments.
The materials in the collection are in English and French.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
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], Marjorie Rhodes Townsend Papers, Ms1986-003, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.
Source of Acquisition
The Marjorie Rhodes Townsend Papers were donated to the Archives of American Aerospace Exploration at the Special Collections and University Archives in 1986 and 2005. An addition was donated in 2015.
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement and description of the Marjorie Rhodes Townsend Papers began in December 2005 and was completed in March 2006. An addition was integrated and the description updated in June 2023.
Part of the processing, arrangement, and description of this collection was created 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) from 2022 to 2024.
Existence and Location of Copies
Some of this collection has been digitized and is available online.
Biographical Note
Marjorie Rhodes Townsend, born in 1930, entered George Washington University engineering program at the age of 15. She took classes part time and worked full time after her marriage to doctor Charles Townsend in 1948, and was the first woman to earn an engineering degree at GWU, receiving her Bachelor of Electrical Engineering in 1951.
Her career began with eight years at the Naval Research Laboratory where she worked on sonar research. In 1959 she moved to National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Goddard Space Flight Center, where she worked until 1980. Noted for her project management skills, Townsend oversaw three satellite launches from foreign locations. She was project manager for all three Small Astronomy Satellites (1966-1975) and for the Applications Explorer Missions (1975-1976). She was granted a patent for a digital telemetry system that was aboard the NIMBUS satellite. Her last five years at NASA included responsibility for all advanced mission planning for future scientific and applications satellites as well as NOAA's meteorological satellites. After her retirement, Townsend worked for private aerospace companies and provided consulting services to NASA and other aerospace entities.
Townsend was awarded the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 1971 and the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal in 1980. She was also named Knight of the Italian Republic Order in 1972. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and served as a chair of the Washington chapter. She also served as chairman of the National Capital Section of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and is a past president of the Washington Academy of Sciences.
Marjorie Rhodes Townsend died in 2015.
Scope and Content
The Marjorie Rhodes Townsend Papers, 1960-1994, n.d., focus on Townsend's professional career in aerospace engineering at NASA and her later consulting work. The bulk includes correspondence with scientists, notes from staff meetings, documentation about the NASA projects she worked on, and publications that Townsend wrote or that relate to her work. There are also drafts of speeches (mostly to engineering, student, and women's professional groups) and newspaper and magazine articles about Townsend's professional accomplishments.
The colleciton is divided into the following series and subseries:
Series I: Personal Data, Presentations, and NASA Film, 1960-1985, n.d., contains three subseries of records documenting Townsend's accomplishments, her presentations given to professional, civic, and student groups, and script drafts for a film about space in which she was involved.
Subseries A: Personal Data, 1965-1985, n.d., contains her curriculum vitae and photos and clippings about her accomplishments.
Subseries B: Presentations for NASA and for the Public, 1960-1983, n.d., contains correspondence and notes or entire texts of presentations that she presented at engineering conferences, science lectures, student classes, and meetings of womens' professional groups.
Subseries C: Materials for the NASA Film
Beyond Our Sun by John Larry Washburn, 1969-1972, includes four drafts of the script for the educational film made for NASA by Washburn. The collection is in chronological order.Series II: NASA and Spacecraft Materials, 1961-1994, n.d., encompasses materials from her work at NASA and some consulting work thereafter. It is arranged in chronological order, with a few exceptions to keep related project materials together.
The following are common acronyms found in the collection:
- NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- GSFC - Goddard Space Flight Center
- IRLS - Interrogation, Recording and Location System, the first space data collection system
- SAS - acronym for all three Small Astronomy Satellites, known as A, B, and C, and the first of which was called Uhuru
- TIROS - Television InfraRed Observation Satellites
- APT - Automatic Picture Transmission
Arrangement
The Marjorie Rhodes Townsend Papers are arranged in two series. There are areas of overlap between these two series, especially in regards to NASA.
Series I: Personal Data, Presentations, and NASA Film, 1960-1985, n.d., is divided into subseries by subject.
Subseries A: Personal Data, 1965-1985, n.d., which is in chronological order with undated materials at the end.
Subseries B: Presentations for NASA and for the Public, 1960-1983, n.d., is divided by subject and arranged in chronological order with undated materials at the end.
Subseries C: Materials for the NASA Film
Beyond Our Sun by John Larry Washburn, 1969-1972, is in chronological order.Series II: NASA and Spacecraft Materials, 1961-1994, n.d., is arranged in chronological order, with a few exceptions to keep related project materials together and undated materials at the end.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the Marjorie Rhodes Townsend Papers by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).
Aerospace engineers
Archives of American Aerospace Exploration (AAAE)
Science and Technology
United States -- National Aeronautics and Space Administration -- Officials and employees
Women -- History
Townsend, Marjorie Rhodes, 1930-2015
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Series I: Personal Data, Presentations, and NASA Film1960-1985, n.d.Subseries A: Personal Data1965-1985, n.d.Photographs of Townsend accepting Knight of the Italian Republic OrderOct 197212Program, The Life and Achievements of Dr. Robert H. Goddard, for a special engineering colloquium at Goddard Space Flight CenterOct 197313Articles and clippings about Townsend1973-198415Program and article on George Washington University Alumni Achievement Award for TownsendFeb 197614Resume for Marjorie Townsendc.198511Subseries B: Presentations for NASA and for the Public1960-1983, n.d.Presentation about TIROS II and the PAM/FM/FM systemSept 196016A Medium Data Range Digital Telemetry System for a PTGSET meetingOct 196317The NIMBUS Spacecraft for Rochester Section of the Instrument Society of America (ISA)Nov 196318Data Handling and Communications Problems for the Federal Council for Science and Technology, Interdepartmental Committee for Atmospheric SciencesJan 196419Radiation Effects Experiment on Micropower Microelectronics for Office of Advanced Research and Technology, Charged Particle Radiation Effect MeetingMar 1964110Presentation for Conference on Career Guidance in Science and EngineeringMar 1966111Notes for presentation at Space-Related Careers conference sponsored by NASA and Drexel Institute of TechnologyMar 1966112Materials for remarks at meeting for American Society of Engineering EducationDec 1966113Women in Space Careers for Prince Georges County Science FairApr 1967114Six presentations about SAS1968, n.d.115Materials for presentation about telemetry at Spacemobile Conference sponsored by NASASept 1968116What Women Can Do notes for the Zonta Club of Metropolitan WashingtonJan 1972117Press Conference Prior to Launch of SAS-BSept 1972118Remarks for Federal Woman's Award BanquetMar 1973119Acknowledgement for speaking at Developing New Horizons for Women classes at George Washington UniversityOct 1973120A Pioneer Woman Blazes a Trail in Engineering for the National Secretaries Association BanquetFeb 1974121Acceptance for Honorary Membership in the Wives' Wing of the Aerospace Medical AssociationMay 1974122Discorso per il comitato promotore iniziative per la citta (PIC) in Maggio, Italy (in Italian)1975123Il lancio delli piccolo satellite astronomici (in Italian)May 1975124Presentation for Women's Emphasis Day Luncheon at the Naval Supply CenterAug 1977125Two presentations and a photo for Spacecraft Systems Design for the 80's seminar at Iowa State UniversityFeb 1979126Notes for panel discussion at the Orientation for the Presidential Management intern ProgramJuly 1979127Space Flight in the 80's for the Zonta Club of New JerseyJan 1980128Notes for presentation at Non-Traditional Careers for Women program at The Catholic University of AmericaMar 1980129Women in ManagementMay 1980130Space Flight in the 80's for Washington Academy of SciencesMay 1981131Notes for Speech for Rotary Club in Immokalee, FloridaDec 1983132Presentation about the Orbiter shuttle and Manned Maneuvering Unitn.d.133Presentation about women in engineering positions and Townsend's personal experiencen.d.134Subseries C: Materials for the NASA Film Beyond Our Sun by John Larry Washburn1969-1972Film treatment number one for Beyond the Moon1969135Revised film treatment copy number one and notes for Beyond Our Sun1969136Motion picture script copy number two, with final changes, for Beyond Our Sunc.1970137Final shooting script for Beyond Our Sun1972138Series II: NASA and Spacecraft Materials1961-1994, n.d.Townsend's NASA Notebooks1975-1980Staff MeetingsNov 6, 1975 - Sept 2, 1980139Oct 28, 1975 - May 10, 1976140Sept 28, 1976 - Jan 12, 1977141Jan 13, 1977 - May 19, 1977142May 19, 1977 - Oct 13, 1977143Oct 17, 1977 - Mar 10, 1978144Mar 13, 1978 - Aug 31, 1978145Sept 1, 1978 - Apr 23, 1979146Calculations, blueprint, and original manuscript for PGSET TIROS paperSept 19611471Telemetering Infrared Data from the TIROS Meteorological Satellites by J.F. Davis, R.A. Hanel, R. A Stampfl, M.G. Strange, and M.R. Townsend (NASA TN D-1293)Aug 1962148A Medium-Data-Range Digital Telemetry System, by M.R. Townsend, P.M. Feinberg, and J. G. Lesko, Jr. (GSCF, NASA Technical Note G-531)June 1964149Three articles about NIMBUS and TIROS1964-1965150Birds-eye view of the weather by C.M. Hunter and E. Rich, Jr. (GSFC), reprint from ElectronicsJuly 27, 1964Amateur Reception of Weather Satellite Picture Transmissions by W.G. Anderson, reprint from QST MagazineNov 1965NIMBUS Receiving Equipment Developed at WSM, Incorporated for Use on WSM-TV Weather Shows by J.H. DeWitt, Jr. and C. Burchc.1965Some Facts About BIAC by the Bioinstrumentation Advisory Councilc.1965151Two similar articles about IRLS by G.D Hogan and M.R. Townsendc.1965152The Interrogation, Recording and Location System (GSFC)c.1965Data Collection and Position Fixing from a Satellite (GSFC)c.1965GSFC Statement of Work and Specification for the X-Ray Explorer (SAS-A) Satellite ExperimentJune 1967153Correspondence about IRLS research1965-1973IRLS on NIMBUS B - ParticipationJuly 1965-July 1967154Correspondence with interested participantsAug 1965-Dec 1966155InternationalNov 1965 - Feb 1968156Trips and visitsMar-Dec 1968157Correspondence about NIMBUS II and ESSA-2 satellites and APT with Carlos Bettencourt Faria in AngolaMay 1966-Nov 1973158Publicity folder with clippings and articles about IRLS on NIMBUS 31966-1968159The Migration of Polar Bears by V. Flyger and M.R. Townsend, reprint from Scientific American, Vol, 218, No. 2,Feb 1968160System notes, blueprints, and photographs taken using NIMBUS II APT1966-19671611Photographs of MOE collar for tracking migrationc.1965162Small Astronomy Satellite (SAS) Program (NASA, GSFC)Sept 1967163Draft copy of The Small Astronomy Satellite (SAS) Program by M.R. Townsend (GSFC, NASA G-901)c.1967164Small Astronomy Satellite (SAS) Safety Plan (GSFC)Oct 1970165 Execution Phase Project Plan for Small Astronomy Satellite (SAS-C) (GSFC, NASA) and Project Plan Change 1Aug 1971-Mar 1972166Small Astronomy Satellite - 1; Selected Press Clippings of Launch and Initial Findings (GSFC Office of Public Affairs, NASA)Apr 1971167NASA-GSFC Mission Operations Plan 5-72, Small Astronomy Satellite (SAS-B) (NASA X-513-72-380)Oct 1972168Small Astronomy Satellite - B; Goddard's Small Astronomy Satellite Readied for Launch (GSFC Office of Public Affairs, NASA)Oct 1972169Spacecraft Control Section for the Improved Small Astronomy Satellite (SAS-C) by M.R. Townsend, printed as part of Proceedings of the Tenth International Symposium on Space Technology and Science1973170The Standardized Functional Support Section for the Small Astronomy Satellite (SAS) by M.R. Townsend (NASA TN D-7725)June 1974171EGRET notebook and related materials1973-1974Program X Spacecraft Users Guide (Boeing Aerospace Company)197321Notebook entitled EGRETJune-Sept 197422Materials enclosed in EGRET notebookAug-Dec 197423-51Materials from folder entitled Trip to ItalyApr-May 197526Townsend reading file - SAS 1975 materials1975-197627The Mission of the SAS-C Satellite and La missione del satellite SAS-C (GSFC, NASA, in English and Italian),197528M.I.T. SAS-C Experiment Descriptionc.197529NASA Group Achievement Award for the Small Astronomy Satellites Project Team1975Nominations information and contractor citations list210List of participants to receive commemorative packages211Commemorative SAS objects4Box of unassembled parts for 1/20 scale model of SAS-A4Box of unassembled parts for 1/20 scale model of SAS-B4Two stickers commemorating the SAS-C4Small metal commemorative plaque and paper information sheet for SAS-C4Materials about satellite priorities and funding1976212NASA Project Management Shared Experience Program participant listMay 1976213Direct Delivery of Automated Spacecraft Using the Shuttle: Thoughts for the Designer by M.R. Townsend, from Astronautics & AeronauticsApr 1977214Remote Sensing of the Atmosphere from Environmental Satellites by L.J. Allison, R. Wexler, C.R. Laughlin, and W.R. Bandeen (GSFC X-901-77-132 preprint)June 1977215Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES): GOES D,E,F Data Book (NOAA, NASA, Hughes Aircraft Co.)Aug 1980216OSSA Mission Plan for the IOC Time Frame of the Space Station Complex, first revision (NASA) with notes on payload and toolsJune 1985217Four articles from Goddard Library supporting OSSA informationordered Mar 1985218Maintainable Maintenance Disconnect Valve (MMDV) for On-Orbit Component Replacement by T.E. Burr, C.K. Boynton, and A.O. Brouillet in ASME report 80-ENAs-42, 1980The Service Role of a Space Station: Satellite/Platform Service and Maintenance by H.T. Fisher and K.J. Forsberg, AAIA symposium paper 83-7094, July 1983Orbital Operation of Co-orbiting Spacecraft with a Space Station by M. Nagatomo and K. Kuriki, IAF congress paper IAF-84-42, Oct 1984Technology for Spacecraft Servicing On-Board the Space Shuttle by L. Kerstein and H. Wartenberg, IAF congress paper IAF-84-35, Oct 1984Mission Operation Report for San Marco D/L Explorer (NASA E-898-88-05)Mar 1988219Magellan Prelaunch Mission Operation Report (NASA E-844-89-30-01)1989220Mission Operation Report for Tracking and Data Relay Satellite TDRS-D (NASA T-313- 89-29-04)Jan 1989221Mission Operations Report for Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) (NASA S-678-48-91-01)c.1990222Mission Operation Report for Hubble Space Telescope (NASA E-458-31-90-01)Mar 1990223Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO) Prelaunch Mission Operations Report (NASA E-S-458-31-91-01)Mar 1991224STS-48 Payload Operations Working Group #7 Flight Cycle Profile by L.K. Grubbs and L. Honeycutt, and STS-48/UARS Joint Integrated Simulations planMar 1991225Proposal for Small Explorer Program: Wide-Field Infrared Explorer (WIRE)Oct 1992226Astrophysics Missions and Payloads book (NASA)Nov 1992227-28 STS-51 Payload Handbook (NASA)1993229EDISON: The International Infrared Space Observatory: The M3 Proposal by H.A. Thronson, T.G. Hawarden, A.J. Penny, and J.K. Davies of the Rutherford Appleton LaboratoryMay 1993230LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna): Proposal for a Laser-Interferometric Gravitational Wave Detector in Space, by K. Danzmann, J. Hough, P. Bender, C.D. Edwards, and others, Max-Planck-Institut fuer QuantenoptikMay 1993231NASA payload classification informationSept 1993232Hubble Space Telescope First Servicing Mission Contingency Plan (NASA)Oct 1993233Current and upcoming missions and payloads, summaries and profilesDec 1993234A Comparison of ARIANE 5 (Solid) vs. Shuttle Advanced Solid Rocket Motor (ASRM) Development/Production by R. Bardos (NASA)Feb 1994235Spacecraft Systems Technology Workshop Proceedings - NASA AstroTech 21 Workshops, Integrated Technology Planning, Series III, Vol. 4, (NASA)Feb 1994236Technology for Small Spacecraft by the Panel on Small Spacecraft Technology, draft copyMar 1994237-38M.R. Townsend's notes and review of the draft report by the Panel on Small Spacecraft TechnologyMar 1994239Technology for Small Spacecraft by the Panel on Small Spacecraft Technology, published by the National Academy Press1994240Committee on Space Facilities - Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board1993-1994First committee meeting informationDec 1993241Post-meeting binder of materialsDec 1993242Major Space Test Facilities Outside the United States presentation by D.T. Jones (Boeing)Feb 1994243Press coverage of committee work and thank-yousFeb-Nov 1994244Space Facilities: Meeting future needs for research, development, and operations by the Committee on Space Facilities, published by the National Academy Press1994245Memo to the Committee on Space Facilities accompanying volumes 1, 3, 4, and 5 of the National Facilities Study199431National Facilities StudyApr 1994Vol. 1, Facilities InventoryApr 199432Vol. 2, Mission and Requirements Model ReportApr 199433Vol. 4, Space Operations Facilities Task GroupApr 199434Vol. 5, Space Research and Development Facilities Task GroupApr 199435