Jet Propulsion Laboratory Archives: Slice of History

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Dr. Carl Sagan (9 November 1934-20 December 1996), often referred to as “the scientist who made the Universe clearer to the ordinary person,” was born 90 years ago! Sagan played a leading role in the American space program from its very beginning. He was a consultant and advisor to NASA beginning in the 1950s – he even briefed the Apollo astronauts before their flights to the Moon!

A self-described childhood science fiction addict, Sagan became fascinated with astronomy when he learned that every star in the night sky was a distant sun. This early scientific and cosmological curiosity led him to pursue four degrees in physics, astronomy, and astrophysics from the University of Chicago.

In his role as Visiting Scientist at JPL, Sagan helped design and manage the Mariner 2 mission to Venus, the Mariner 9 and Viking 1 and 2 trips to Mars, the Voyager 1 and 2 missions to the outer solar system, and the Galileo mission to Jupiter. His research helped to solve the mysteries of the high temperature of Venus, the seasonal changes on Mars, and the reddish haze of Titan. In cooperation with former Lab Director, Dr. Bruce C. Murray, Sagan co-founded The Planetary Society in 1980, which today is an instrumental organization in influencing government decisions regarding spaceflight funding.

Sagan also made great strides in popularizing science through the writing of hundreds of articles and over two dozen books, even winning a Pulitzer Prize for his 1975 title “The Dragons of Eden.” Later, his television series “Cosmos” became one of the most-watched shows in public television history up to that time, viewed by over 500 million people in over 60 countries.

Carl Sagan continued to share his excitement and passion about the exploration of the universe until 20 December 1996, when complications from a rare bone marrow disease, Myelodysplasia, caused a bout of pneumonia that took his life at age 62. CL#23-6609

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Galileo launched 35 years ago on 18 October 1989! As the first spacecraft to deploy an entry probe into an outer planet’s atmosphere, Galileo’s mission was to study Jupiter and its mysterious moons. The spacecraft also became notable for discoveries during its journey to the gas giant, such as evidence for the existence of a saltwater ocean beneath Europa’s icy surface, extensive volcanic processes on Io, and a magnetic field generated by Ganymede. Galileo was the first spacecraft to visit an asteroid (two, in fact!), and provided the only direct observations of a comet colliding with a planet.

This banner, flying against Building 264, which was the building that housed the Galileo team, recently came into the Archives’ custodianship, transferred from one of its designers, Bob Gounley. Gounley kindly included the tale of the banner’s origins, from the post-Challenger aerospace climate, to dozens of redesigns and retests, and the pressures to have a successful launch. This Galileo banner became a symbol of years of hard work and sacrifice to bring confidence back to the aerospace industry, and a moment of celebration for the Lab itself.

Over the course of its life, Galileo traveled 2.8 billion miles (4.6 billion kilometers), orbited Jupiter 34 times, and provided the only direct observations of a comet colliding with a planet. On 21 September 2003, Galileo plunged into Jupiter’s atmosphere to prevent an unwanted impact with Europa. CL#24-0645

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An example of JPL’s historical and ongoing approach to public health, these photos document an on-Lab X-Ray clinic that was hosted in conjunction with the Pasadena Tuberculosis Association. This mobile X-Ray unit was stationed “immediately east of the JPL First Aid Room” all day on 27 July 1955, when these photos were taken. JPLers were invited to  “use this opportunity to obtain a chest x-ray on Laboratory time,” and encouraged to perform annual chest x-rays as a preventative health measure.

This became an annual health checkpoint for JPL during the 1950s, and staff would line up to take advantage. In this photo (left to right) Sylvia Granath, Ed Quick, Marie Mandroian, Dee Campbell, Ed Hane, and Russell Waldo climb the “stairway to health” and wait their turns. According to the August 1955 issue of Lab-Oratory, “[l]ast year, 437 JPL [staff] took advantage of this Laboratory service, showing an increased interest this year in preventative personal health.” CL#22-6272

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An example of JPL’s historical and ongoing approach to public health, these photos document an on-Lab X-Ray clinic that was hosted in conjunction with the Pasadena Tuberculosis Association. This mobile X-Ray unit was stationed “immediately east of the JPL First Aid Room” all day on 27 July 1955, when these photos were taken. JPLers were invited to  “use this opportunity to obtain a chest x-ray on Laboratory time,” and encouraged to perform annual chest x-rays as a preventative health measure.

This became an annual health checkpoint for JPL during the 1950s, and staff would line up to take advantage. In this photo (left to right) Sylvia Granath, Ed Quick, Marie Mandroian, Dee Campbell, Ed Hane, and Russell Waldo climb the “stairway to health” and wait their turns. According to the August 1955 issue of Lab-Oratory, “[l]ast year, 437 JPL [staff] took advantage of this Laboratory service, showing an increased interest this year in preventative personal health.” CL#22-6272