Guide to the Alvin Seiff Papers, 1955-2000

I Viking Project 1966-1976

Scope and Content Note

This series is arranged into two subseries documenting Seiff's assignment as Principal Investigator for the Atmospheric Structure Instrument onboard the Viking Landers.

The first subseries, Pressure Sensors, contains records regarding the pressure sensors used in the Atmospheric Structure Instrument. These records include potential locations of where the sensor could be attached to the lander, flight acceptance tests, science tests, calibration tests, mechanism descriptions and specifications, and sensor evaluations.

The second subseries, Temperature Sensors, focuses upon the temperature sensors used in the Atmospheric Structure Instrument. Included in the subseries are documents and photographs regarding experiment tests, design reviews, sensor development, and thermal performance analysis, as well as monthly progress reports. On a side note, also included in this subseries are documents from the Planetary Atmosphere Experiments Test (PAET) Project. These particular records Seiff included in his files deal only with the temperature sensor onboard the PAET Probe. As Seiff may have included these PAET records due to their similarity with the Viking temperature sensor documents, it was decided to leave this folder in its original order instead of separating it into a different series.

II Cassini-Huygens Project 1974-2000

Scope and Content Note

This series is arranged into five subseries documenting Seiff's involvement as Co-Investigator for the Atmospheric Structure Instrument onboard the Cassini-Huygens Probe.

The first subseries, Probe Scientific Instruments, contains documents referring to the scientific instruments onboard the Huygens Probe, primarily the Atmospheric Structure Instrument, but also includes a few documents on the Surface Science Package and the Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer Experiments. Included in the subseries are records of sensor deployments, group science meetings, proposals, sensor (including temperature, pressure, and accelerometer) tests, technical inputs, correspondence with Seiff's Co-Investigator's, and instrument descriptions.

The second subseries, Probe Aerodynamics, focuses upon the planned trajectory of the Huygens Probe as it makes its descent into Titan's atmosphere. Included in the subseries are model atmospheres and trajectories, aerothermodynamics, wind tunnel tests, and target area on Titan.

The third subseries, Probe Impact Studies, contains two folders describing impact studies. The first folder focuses on the Huygens Probe impact dynamics. The second folder discusses various impact experiments conducted featuring different terrain types such as ocean and soil.

The fourth subseries, Orbiter Experiments, focuses upon documents referring to the Cassini orbiter itself. Included in the subseries are descriptions of possible experiments and experiment proposals for the orbiter.

The fifth subseries, Overview, contains documents that focus primarily on the mission as a whole rather than specific experiments. Included in the subseries are records such as possible Titan atmospheres, Cassini-Huygens mission descriptions, and general Huygens Probe aerothermodynamics.

III Galileo Project 1982-1999

Scope and Content Note

This series contains records documenting a small portion of Seiff's contributions to the Galileo Mission as Principal Investigator for the Atmospheric Structure Instrument onboard the Galileo Probe. Contained in the series are final technical reports for the project, a draft of chapters two through five of the book History of Project Galileo by Theodore C. Clarke, and a paper (including related reviews and publishing notifications) discussing Jupiter's atmospheric flow.

IV Proposed Space Shuttle External Tank Usage 1982-1983

Scope and Content Note

This series contains documents describing Seiff's role as an advisor for the Committee on Uses of Shuttle External Tanks. The series focuses upon the general proposed plan for using the Space Shuttles' external tank as a potential part of a space station.

V General Correspondence 1955-1999

Scope and Content Note

This series contains general correspondence between Seiff, his colleagues, and others over an extended period of time. Included in the series are correspondences covering many projects, descriptions of future planned missions to Pluto and Neptune, and Seiff's evaluation of chapter 3 of the book Atmosphere of Freedom by Glenn Bugos.

I. Viking Project

1. Pressure Sensors

Box 1, Folder 1

Viking Project Pre-Test Report for Investigation to Determine Location of Terminal Descent/Landed Pressure Sensor Orifice, 1971

Box 1, Folder 2

Conrac and Tavis Base Pressure Sensors, Flight Acceptance Test and Calibration Data, (Folder 1 of 2), 1973-1975

Box 1, Folder 3

Conrac and Tavis Base Pressure Sensors, Flight Acceptance Test and Calibration Data, (Folder 2 of 2), 1973-1975

Box 1, Folder 4

Tavis 0-25 millibars Sensors Test Data, Science Testing, (Folder 1 of 2), 1973-1974

Box 1, Folder 5

Tavis 0-25 millibars Sensors Test Data, Science Testing, (Folder 2 of 2), 1973-1974

Box 1, Folder 6

Flight Acceptance Test and Calibration Data. Tavis Pressure Sensors for F.C. A and B and Flight Spare. Tavis' Explanation of Mechanisms. Letters from Specification Sheets, (Folder 1 of 2), 1974-1976

Box 1, Folder 7

Flight Acceptance Test and Calibration Data. Tavis Pressure Sensors for F.C. A and B and Flight Spare. Tavis' Explanation of Mechanisms. Letters from Specification Sheets, (Folder 2 of 2), 1974-1976

Box 1, Folder 8

Viking Entry Science Team Tests of the Parachute Phase Pressure Sensor 0 to 25 millibars Range, 1974

Box 1, Folder 9

Engineering Evaluation Test Report for a 0.1 Absolute Pressure per Square Inch Tavis P-4A Pressure Transducer, 1973

Box 1, Folder 10

Vibrating Diaphragm Pressure Transducer, 1966-1967

Box 2, Folder 1

Evaluation Testing of Tavis 25 millibars Pressure Sensors, 1973

Box 2, Folder 2

Pressure Sensor, Viking Project, (Folder 1 of 2), 1969-1975

Box 2, Folder 3

Pressure Sensor, Viking Project, (Folder 2 of 2), 1969-1975

2. Temperature Sensors

Box 2, Folder 4

Temperature Sensor Report, April 12, 1973

Box 2, Folder 5

Planetary Atmosphere Experiments Test Temperature Sensor, Ames Research Center, January 6, 1971

Box 2, Folder 6

Temperature Sensor Calibration Data, 1974-1975

Box 2, Folder 7

Miscellaneous Studies Re Interfaces, Interference, Environment, Response, 1971-1972

Box 2, Folder 8

Viking Temperature Sensor Critical Design Review, 1966-1973

Box 2, Folder 9

Action Items on Temperature Sensors from Preliminary Design Review, 1972

Box 3, Folder 1

Viking Temperature Sensor Development Phase, (Folder 1 of 3), 1971-1975

Box 3, Folder 2

Viking Temperature Sensor Development Phase, (Folder 2 of 3), 1971-1975

Box 3, Folder 3

Viking Temperature Sensor Development Phase, (Folder 3 of 3), 1971-1975

Box 3, Folder 4

Reports on Viking Temperature Sensors, (Folder 1 of 2), 1971-1974

Box 3, Folder 5

Reports on Viking Temperature Sensors, (Folder 2 of 2), 1971-1974

Box 3, Folder 6

Thermal Performance Analysis, Viking Temperature Sensors, (Folder 1 of 2), 1972-1974

Box 3, Folder 7

Thermal Performance Analysis, Viking Temperature Sensors, (Folder 2 of 2), 1972-1974

Box 4, Folder 1

Critical Design Review Data Package: Drawings, Circuits, Wts, Thermal and Mechanical Analysis, Failure Analysis, Error Budget, (Folder 1 of 4), 1972-1973

Box 4, Folder 2

Critical Design Review Data Package: Drawings, Circuits, Wts, Thermal and Mechanical Analysis, Failure Analysis, Error Budget, (Folder 2 of 4), 1972-1973

Box 4, Folder 3

Critical Design Review Data Package: Drawings, Circuits, Wts, Thermal and Mechanical Analysis, Failure Analysis, Error Budget, (Folder 3 of 4), 1972-1973

Box 4, Folder 4

Critical Design Review Data Package: Drawings, Circuits, Wts, Thermal and Mechanical Analysis, Failure Analysis, Error Budget, (Folder 4 of 4), 1972-1973

Box 4, Folder 5

Viking Temperature Sensor Monthly Progress Reports, 1972-1974

II. Cassini-Huygens Project

1. Probe Scientific Instruments

Box 4, Folder 6

Huygens Probe Temperature Sensor and Deployment, 1974-1998

Box 5, Folder 1

Saturn Orbiter - Titan Probe Mission (Cassini). Cassini Science Group Meeting, McLean, Virginia, November 1987, (Folder 1 of 2), 1982-1990

Box 5, Folder 2

Saturn Orbiter - Titan Probe Mission (Cassini). Cassini Science Group Meeting, McLean, Virginia, November 1987, (Folder 2 of 2), 1982-1990

Box 5, Folder 3

Atmospheric Structure Instrument Accelerometers, 1984-1999

Box 5, Folder 4

Huygens Probe Accelerometer, 1987-1999

Box 5, Folder 5

Atmospheric Structure Instrument Pressure Sensors, 1988-1993

Box 5, Folder 6

Marcello Fulchignoni's Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument viewgraphs,

Box 5, Folder 7

Presentation to Code S, Atmospheric Structure Experiment Science Objectives, December 21, 1989

Box 5, Folder 8

Huygens Probe Atmospheric Structure Instrument Proposal, (Folder 1 of 2), 1989-1991

Box 5, Folder 9

Huygens Probe Atmospheric Structure Instrument Proposal, (Folder 2 of 2), 1989-1991

Box 6, Folder 1

European Space Agency Interview, May 30, 1990

Box 6, Folder 2

Huygens Temperature Sensor. Interactions with Alessandra Castelli and Christina Cornaro, 1990-1993

Box 6, Folder 3

Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument Co-Investigator Arrangement and Budget. Interactions with Marcello Fulchignoni and John Zarnecki, 1990-1994

Box 6, Folder 4

European Space Agency Fax Mail, 1990-1996

Box 6, Folder 5

Huygens Experiment Papers, (Folder 1 of 2), 1990-1998

Box 6, Folder 6

Huygens Experiment Papers, (Folder 2 of 2), 1990-1998

Box 6, Folder 7

Technical Inputs to the Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument and Surface Science Experiments (See also Temperature Sensor and Accelerometer Folders), 1991-1992

Box 6, Folder 8

April and July 1991 Cassini-Huygens Meetings in Paris, Cannes, CalTech ESTEC October 5, 1992, 1991-1993

Box 6, Folder 9

Huygens Probe Drawings. Atmospheric Structure Instrument Conference Drawings, 1991-1995

Box 7, Folder 1

Titan Probe Pressure Sensors, 1991-1998

Box 7, Folder 2

Huygens Atmosphere-Reconstruction Wind Measurement, 1991-1999

Box 7, Folder 3

Edinburgh, Kent, ESTEC Notes April 1992; Padua and Rome, February 1993, 1992-1993

Box 7, Folder 4

Accelerometer and Pressure Sensor Evaluation Tests, 1993-1994

Box 7, Folder 5

Calibrations, Accelerometer and Pressure Sensors, 1993-1994

Box 7, Folder 6

Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument Meeting, Padova, Italy, 1998-1999

Box 7, Folder 7

Cruise Checkouts, Balloon Tests, Meetings 2000, 1998-2000

Box 7, Folder 8

The Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer (DISR) Experiment on the Huygens Entry Probe of Titan, 1999

2. Probe Aerodynamics

Box 7, Folder 9

Titan: Model Atmosphere and Trajectory, 1989-1995

Box 8, Folder 1

Huygens Probe Dynamic Stability and Aerodynamics, Entry and Descent, 1993-1997

Box 8, Folder 2

Probe Mass, Dea. Center of Gravity Wind Tunnel Tests. Target Area on Titan, 1997

Box 8, Folder 3

Huygens Probe Trajectories, 1999

3. Probe Impact Studies

Box 8, Folder 4

Huygens Probe Impact Dynamics, 1993-1994

Box 8, Folder 5

Huygens Impact Soil/Ocean Experiments, 1993-1999

4. Orbiter Experiments

Box 8, Folder 6

Cassini, November 1987. McLean, Virginia. Mission Design and Schedule. Meeting notes. Experiment Descriptions (Most Discarded). HAC Proposed to Use PVSP at Saturn and/or Galileo at Titan, 1987-1991

Box 8, Folder 7

Cassini Mission: Saturn Orbiter Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer Facility Instrument Science Team Proposal Information Package. Volume XIII: Physical Models, 1991

Box 8, Folder 8

Cassini Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer Proposal, 1991-1999

5. Overview

Box 8, Folder 9

Titan's Atmosphere - Publications, 1982-1991

Box 8, Folder 10

Cassini Project Science Group Huygens Probe Science Working Team, 1994

Box 8, Folder 11

Alenia Booklet: Cassini-Huygens. Scientific Mission to Explore the Solar System, 1997

Box 8, Folder 12

European Space Agency Booklet: The Cassini/Huygens Mission, November, 1997

Box 8, Folder 13

AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics)-97-2476: Huygens Probe Aerothermodynamics, 1997

III. Galileo Project

Box 9, Folder 1

Final Technical Report, Atmospheric Structure Instrument, Contract Number NAS2-10044, (Folder 1 of 3), 1982-1983

Box 9, Folder 2

Final Technical Report, Atmospheric Structure Instrument, Contract Number NAS2-10044, (Folder 2 of 3), 1982-1983

Box 9, Folder 3

Final Technical Report, Atmospheric Structure Instrument, Contract Number NAS2-10044, (Folder 3 of 3), 1982-1983

Box 9, Folder 4

History of Project Galileo, Drafts of Chapters 2-5, By Theodore C. Clarke, 1997

Box 9, Folder 5

Atmospheric Flow Within Jupiter's 5-Micron Hot Spots, 1998-1999

IV. Proposed Space Shuttle External Tank Usage

Box 9, Folder 6

Draft Report on the Utilization of the External Tanks of the Space Transportation System, 1982

Box 9, Folder 7

Committee on Uses of Shuttle External Tanks, March, 1982

Box 9, Folder 8

The Process of Space Station Development Using External Tanks, 1983

V. General Correspondence

Box 9, Folder 9

Correspondence, 1955-1970

Box 9, Folder 10

Missions to Neptune, Pluto, 1993

Box 9, Folder 11

Atmosphere of Freedom, Chapter 3 by Glenn Bugos, 1999

Series Description

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