Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Biography
Scope and Content
Indexing Terms
Descriptive Summary
Title: The Planetary Society records
Inclusive Dates: 1910-2016
Bulk Dates: 1980-2016
Collection Number: mssPlanetary
Creator:
Planetary Society
Extent:
175 boxes and two oversize folders
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens
Manuscripts Department
The Huntington Library
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2191
Fax: (626) 449-3477
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This collection consists of material created by and related to The Planetary Society since its beginning in 1980 and up to
2016.
Language of Material: The material is primarily in English but there is some Russian and Japanese.
Administrative Information
Access
Collection is open to qualified researchers by prior application through the
Reader Services Department.
Publication Rights
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to
quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such
activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is
one, and obtaining permission rests with the researcher.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of Item], The Planetary Society records, The Huntington
Library, San Marino, California.
Acquisition Information
Gift of The Planetary Society, June 2016.
Biography
The Planetary Society was founded in 1980 by Carl Sagan, Bruce Murray, and Louis Friedman. Its initial purpose was to demonstrate
that the public strongly supported planetary exploration and the search for extraterrestrial life. As the group expanded its
membership, it began sponsoring research projects, publishing a magazine and a website, holding events to celebrate exploration,
and educating young people. The Planetary Society is the largest and most influential public space organization group on Earth.
It is based in Pasadena, California.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of material created by and related to The Planetary Society since its beginning in 1980 and up to
2016 (although there is also some material earlier than 1980). It contains Board of Directors correspondence, memorandums,
and meeting minutes; material related to public relations, events, fundraising and membership; copies of The Planetary Report
(not a complete set); NASA photo files; material related to the Solar Sail and the Mars Rover program; NASA, JPL, and space
exploration in general; Apollo reports; the Hubble Telescope; and US and Russian cooperation in space (including Planetary
Society staff’s trips to Russia). The collection also contains photographs and negatives; video cassette tapes and film; clippings;
T-shirts, posters, badges, stickers, memorabilia; artwork; and miscellaneous material. There is material both about and by:
Carl Sagan (including his 265-page curriculum vitae), Bruce Murray, Louis Friedman, Bill Nye, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Buzz
Aldrin. There is artwork by space artists Ron Miller, Michael W. Carroll and Mark Paternostro among others.
Although there are series entitled "Clippings," "Photographs," "Mars," "Carl Sagan," etc., those formats and the topics can
be found in other series in the collection.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in the following series: Apollo Program Reports (Boxes 1-5); Board of Directors (Boxes 6-12); Clippings
(Boxes 33-52); Mailings (Boxes 53-60); Photographs (Boxes 61-86); The Planetary Report (Boxes 87-89); Public Relations and
Events (Boxes 90-109); Solar Sail (Boxes 110-135); Subject and Presentation Slides (Boxes 136-139); Mars (Boxes 140-141);
Miscellaneous and Ephemera (Boxes 142-145); Negatives (Sets) (Boxes 146-147); Audio-Visual (Boxes 148-165); Merchandise/Memorabilia
(Boxes 166-168); and Rolled/Oversize and Artwork (Boxes 169-175 and two oversize folders).
Indexing Terms
Personal Names
Aldrin, Buzz
Carroll, Michael W., 1955-
Friedman, Louis
Miller, Ron, 1947-
Murray, Bruce C.
Nye, Bill
Sagan, Carl, 1934-1996
Tyson, Neil deGrasse
Corporate Names
Hubble Space Telescope (Spacecraft)
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (U.S.)
Mars Pathfinder Project (U.S.)
Planetary Society -- Archives
Project Apollo (U.S.)
Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (Study group : U.S.)
Sojourner (Spacecraft)
Space Shuttle Program (U.S.)
United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Subjects
Planetary science
Planetary science -- Societies, etc.
Roving vehicles (Astronautics)
Science -- Societies, etc.
Solar sails
Space vehicles
Viking spacecraft
Georgraphic Areas
Mars (Planet) -- Exploration
Outer space -- Exploration -- Soviet Union
Outer space -- Exploration -- United States
Pasadena (Calif.)
Genre
Audiovisual materials
Business records
Clippings
Letters (correspondence) -- United States
Magazines (periodicals)
Memorabilia
Memorandums
Minutes (administrative records)
Negatives (photographs)
Newsletters
Photographs
Press kits
Slides (photographs)
Works of art