Tri-Cities Space Shuttle Promotion Committee records
Collection
Identifier: Ms-0118
Scope and Contents
Materials in the collection are documents and printed item relating to the Tri-Cities Space Shuttle Promotion Committee attempt to attract NASA to locate their space shuttle port at the White Sands Missile Range. Besides committee meeting agendas, minutes and Bryce’s meeting notes, the collection also contains invoices and financial documents recording promotional expenses and payments paid to New Mexico State University's Physical Science Laboratory. Also included in the collection are typical Chamber of Commerce materials on the Tri-Cityies of El Paso, Las Cruces and Alamogordo. Such items include a list of businesses in Las Cruces, Chamber of Commerce newsletters, charts and graphs describing the climate and other advantages of the area’s selection as the port site.
Since part of 'the committees job was to prompt local enthusiasm for the project, favorable publicity was vital. News releases and newspaper clippings show the efforts of the committee to gain public support for the endeavor. Particularly noteworthy are the several "Short Range" cartoons starring Al and Mo Gordo as the first shuttle pilots to fly from the White Sands ports. Proposals, resolutions and memorials echoing support of the White Sands site demonstrate the type of backing received by the committee by the larger community.
Naturally, such a venture entailed communication with officials and influential citizens. Among the significant public official correspondence are Tom Creighton, (Senator from Texas), former New Mexico governor, Jack M. Campbell, Representatives Louis Frey and Richard C. White, Governor Bruce King; David W. King of the State Planning Office; C.M. Taylor, Jr., the major of Clovis and Roswell's mayor William R. Brainerd. Other important correspondents includes Dr. Thomas Paine, NASA Administrator; J. A. Hornbeck, President Sandia Laboratories; J. A. Provast, articles editor of Elks Magazine, James L. Dick; Charles C. Nolan, Dean George Odiorne, Dean of the College of Business the University of Utah; Harold W. Olive Kiwanis Club of Carlsbad; Rene Mascarenas Miranda, Caniana Nacional de la Industria de Transformacion; and Kenneth E. Dahlatron, publisher of Las Cruces Bulletin. There is also correspondence from committee members and other people involved in committee work such a Wayne Stewart, Kent Roberts, Sam D. Young Jr., R.W. Lee, Frank 0. Papen, Harold R. Lawrence, E.J. Waid and Charlie A. Pinney. Various reports are also included in the collection. Many of these relate to the general needs of a space shuttle site, such as Alternate Space Shuttle Concept Study Plan Review July 14, 1970, while others relate specifically to the possible White Sands Site. Most important of these reports is The Space Shuttle at White Sands, a National Range, the report prepared by the Physical Science Laboratory at New Mexico State University for the Committee. In addition to the final report, the collection also contains a draft copy of the PSL report and a list of individuals who received the finished product. Other items included in the collection are basically informational data on the area and the shuttle project. B. Kent Roberts who assisted the Committee with the PSL report, resume is also contained in the collection, as in an inventory of slides used in promotional programs. Basically, the collection is arranged alphabetically by document type.
Naturally, such a venture entailed communication with officials and influential citizens. Among the significant public official correspondence are Tom Creighton, (Senator from Texas), former New Mexico governor, Jack M. Campbell, Representatives Louis Frey and Richard C. White, Governor Bruce King; David W. King of the State Planning Office; C.M. Taylor, Jr., the major of Clovis and Roswell's mayor William R. Brainerd. Other important correspondents includes Dr. Thomas Paine, NASA Administrator; J. A. Hornbeck, President Sandia Laboratories; J. A. Provast, articles editor of Elks Magazine, James L. Dick; Charles C. Nolan, Dean George Odiorne, Dean of the College of Business the University of Utah; Harold W. Olive Kiwanis Club of Carlsbad; Rene Mascarenas Miranda, Caniana Nacional de la Industria de Transformacion; and Kenneth E. Dahlatron, publisher of Las Cruces Bulletin. There is also correspondence from committee members and other people involved in committee work such a Wayne Stewart, Kent Roberts, Sam D. Young Jr., R.W. Lee, Frank 0. Papen, Harold R. Lawrence, E.J. Waid and Charlie A. Pinney. Various reports are also included in the collection. Many of these relate to the general needs of a space shuttle site, such as Alternate Space Shuttle Concept Study Plan Review July 14, 1970, while others relate specifically to the possible White Sands Site. Most important of these reports is The Space Shuttle at White Sands, a National Range, the report prepared by the Physical Science Laboratory at New Mexico State University for the Committee. In addition to the final report, the collection also contains a draft copy of the PSL report and a list of individuals who received the finished product. Other items included in the collection are basically informational data on the area and the shuttle project. B. Kent Roberts who assisted the Committee with the PSL report, resume is also contained in the collection, as in an inventory of slides used in promotional programs. Basically, the collection is arranged alphabetically by document type.
Dates
- 1970 - 1971
Biographical / Historical
As NASA's Apollo project was winding down, planners began working on the next phase of manned space light - the space shuttle program. Because the space shuttle was, designed to be re-usable, the selection of a site for the shuttle port was vitally important. Besides Cape Kennedy, several other locations were studied as possible port sites. One area considered by NASA planners and Congressional space committee was the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.
Besides the prestige of having the shuttle site, location of the port in a given area offered direct and indirect economic benefits to a region. Realizing the potential impact that a port site at White Sands could have on the region's growth and economy, the Chambers of Commerce in El Paso, Las Cruces and Alamagordo formed the Tri-Cities Space Shuttle Promotion Committee.
Consisting of three members from each city, the committee's primary function was to raise needed funds for a report outlining the advantages of locating the port at White Sands. Chaired by Dr. Bryce Brisbin, Dean of Business Administration at New Mexico State University, the committee managed to raise enough money for the Physical Science Laboratory at NMSU to undertake a study of the White Sands site. Its finished report entitled The Space Shuttle at White Sands; A National Range was then submitted to NASA and other planning officials.
Extent
0.50 Linear Feet (1 Box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Papers concerning the attempt of the Tri-Cities Space Shuttle Committee to persuade NASA to locate the Space shuttle port at the White Sands Missile Range. Includes agendas, chats, graph, correspondence, financial documents, invoices, minutes, news releases, newspaper clippings, proposals, publications, reports, resolutions, and a slide inventory from 1970-1971.
Separated Materials
Five Photographs (four of space shuttle models and one of the Tri-Cities Space Shuttle Promotion Committee) have been removed from the collection and placed in the RGHC photograph collection.
Processing Information
Merleen Dilbert, November 1979
- Title
- Guide to the Tri-Cities Space Shuttle Promotion Committee records
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Merleen Dilbert
- Date
- 1979
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the New Mexico State University Library Archives and Special Collections Repository