Finding Aid for the Frank B. Estabrook Papers
Penelope Neder
California Institute of Technology. Caltech Archives
1200 East California Blvd.
Mail Code B215A-74
Pasadena, CA 91125
archives@caltech.edu
©2016
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
California Institute of Technology. Caltech Archives
Title: Frank B. Estabrook Papers
creator:
Estabrook, Frank B., 1922-
Identifier/Call Number: 10238-MS
Physical Description:
3.1 Linear feet
(8 boxes)
Date (inclusive): 1966-2004
Abstract: Frank B. Estabrook is a Caltech alumus (M.S. 1947, PhD 1950). Estabrook was a physicist at JPL from 1960 to 2006, and Distinguished
Visiting Scientist from 2006-2016. He is currently retired. Estabrook's papers consist of project outlines, meeting agendas
and minutes, correspondence, and reports related to the Galileo spacecraft and gravitational wave research.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research. Researchers must apply in writing for access.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright may not have been assigned to the California Institute of Technology Archives. All requests for permission to publish
or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Caltech Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf
of the California Institute of Technology Archives as the owner of the physical items and, unless explicitly stated otherwise,
is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Frank B. Estabrook Papers, 10238-MS, Caltech Archives, California Institute of Technology.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Frank B. Estabrook donated his papers to the Caltech Archives in 2007.
Processing Information
This collection was processed in September 2016. All materials were originally in descending order, unfoldered. To assist
researchers accessing this collection, the processing archivist grouped like items to create series and subseries and organized
the papers in acid-free folders. The papers were arranged in chronogical order.
Biographical / Historical
Frank Behle Estabrook (1922- ) began his academic career at Miami University in Ohio, and earned his BA in Physics and Math
in 1943. His interest in the study of gravitational waves began after learning Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity as a
Caltech graduate student. He earned both his M.S. and PhD in Physics and Math from Caltech in 1947 and 1950. After completing
his PhD, Estabrook returned to his alma mater, Miami University for two years as an assistant professor in physics. In 1953
he returned to California and worked as a reactor physicist at Atomics International, a division of North American Aviation.
In 1956 he worked for the U.S. Army’s Office of Ordnance Research awarding research contracts.
Estabrook began his career at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in 1960, where he first worked half-time on relativity
and half-time on reactor physics. Estabrook returned to Caltech as a physics lecturer, and taught the course Physics 236,
Relativity Theory in 1962 and 1964. In 1981 he taught differential geometry as a lecturer in Applied Mathematics.
As a JPL scientist, Estabrook’s areas of research consisted of spectroscopy, neutron transport physics, differential geometry,
general relativity and cosmology, and gravitational radiation. One of Estabrook's notable joint projects was JPL/NASA's Galileo
spacecraft gravitational waves search experiment (1989-2003) using x-band uplink frequency, but was unsuccessful in detecting
gravitational waves. Throughout his career he published more than 90 refereed papers in general relativity, gravitational
radiation, and differential geometry. He formally retired in 2006, but continued his work at JPL as Distinguished Visiting
Scientist until his official retirement in 2016, and is currently fully retired.
The Frank B. Estabrook Oral History with Shirley K. Cohen can be accessed in the Caltech Archives.
Scope and Contents
The Frank B. Estabrook Papers are housed in 8 archival boxes (1 half-sized and 7 standard archival boxes). The papers are
divided into three series, with one series divided into three subseries. The three series are: 1. Galileo and Gravitational
Waves Projects, 2. Correspondence, and 3. Reports and Proposals.
Series 1: Galileo and Gravitational Waves Projects has been divided into 3 subseries. Subseries 1: Project Outlines contains
outlines for Galileo planning efforts, ka-band and x-band radio science, and gravitational wave detection outlines, arranged
in chronological order. Subseries 2: Meetings contains meeting minutes and schedules, arranged in chronological order. Subseries
3: Miscellaneous includes gravitational waves papers, NASA and JPL promotional material, and news clippings.
Series 2: Correspondence includes correspondence and interoffice memoranda to and from JPL, NASA, Caltech, or Joint Gravitational
Wave Experiment group. Also includes letters from international letter writing campaigns.
Series 3: Reports and Proposals includes reports on Deep Space Network system requirements, the Jupiter Orbiter Probe, and
also experiment proposals, mission requirements documents, and project plans.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Astrophysics
Gravitational waves
Estabrook, Frank B.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Series 1: Galileo and Gravitational Waves Projects
1970-2004
Subseries 1: Project Outlines
1977-1997
box 1, folder 1
Project outlines re: gravitational wave detection, Galileo '85 mission
1977-1978, 1981
box 1, folder 2
Project outlines re: Galileo, X-band uplink, DPN Doppler, relativity
1982
box 1, folder 3
Project outlines re: Galileo, gravitational waves, spacecraft Doppler data
1987-1988
box 1, folder 4
Project outline for potential ASI collaboration on Cassini and SCM temperature regulation system
1989
box 1, folder 5
Project outlines and status re: Cassini, ka-band, x-band radio science, Galileo
1990
box 1, folder 6
GLL (Galileo) outline
1990-1991
box 1, folder 7
Project outlines re: Galileo goals and project status
1991 January-May
box 1, folder 8
Galileo Radio Science Team project packet
1992
box 1, folder 9
Project outlines re: gravity wave experiment, s-band
1992
box 1, folder 10
Project outlines re: joint Galileo/Mars Observer/Ulysses gravitational wave experiment, x-band
1993
box 1, folder 11
Project outlines re: x-band, Galileo/Mars Observer/Ulysses coincidence experiment
1994-1995, 1997
Subseries 2: Meetings
1975-1992
box 2, folder 1
Meetings re: relativity, x-band, gravitational waves
1975, 1978
box 2, folder 3
Meetings re: Galileo probe, x-band uplink
1979-1980, 1982
box 2, folder 4
NASA headquarters meeting
1988 February 29
box 2, folder 5
Meetings re: Galileo RST, starset availability
1990
box 2, folder 6
Meetings re: Galileo, gravity wave experiment
1991, 1992
Subseries 3: Miscellaneous
1970-2004
box 2, folder 7
Published papers and articles
1970-2004
General
Contains published papers by various authors, including Frank Estabrook, Hugo D. Wahlquist, and Kip Throne on spacecraft Doppler
tracking, searches for millihertz gravitational waves, Pioneer II, Galileo, Ulysses, Mars Observer, Cassini, and LISA.
box 2, folder 9
NASA news and promotional material
1977, 1979, 1988-1990
box 2, folder 10
Calculations, graphs, and notes
1978-1994, undated
box 2, folder 11
Galileo Radio Science Team roster and miscellaneous
1979-1994
box 2, folder 13
Joint gravitational wave search press release
1993
box 2, folder 14
News clippings and magazine articles
1993, 1996
General
Primarily articles on Galileo and the search for gravity waves. Magazine articles include interviews and mentions of Frank
Estabrook.
box 2, folder 15
Galileo investigator and project manager directory
1996 March
Series 2: Correspondence
1966-1997
box 3, folder 1
Correspondence
1966, 1969-1972
box 3, folder 2
Correspondence and memoranda
1974 February - 1975 November
box 3, folder 3
Correspondence and memoranda
1976 February-December
box 3, folder 4
Correspondence and memoranda
1977 January-December
box 3, folder 5
International letter writing campaign
1977, 1978 June-September
General
This campaign was to get the X-band onboard the Galileo mission.
box 3, folder 6
Correspondence and memoranda
1978 Jamuary- December
box 3, folder 7
X-band rejection notices
1978-1982
box 3, folder 8
Correspondence and memoranda
1979 January-November
box 3, folder 9
Correspondence and memoranda
1980 January-December
box 3, folder 10
Second international letter writing campaign
1980 August-September
box 3, folder 11
Correspondence and memoranda
1981 January-December
box 4, folder 1
Correspondence and memoranda
1982 January-April
box 4, folder 2
Correspondence and memoranda
1983 January-November
box 4, folder 3
Correspondence and memoranda
1984 January - 1986 November
box 4, folder 4
Correspondence and memoranda
1984 January - 1986 November
box 4, folder 5
Correspondence and memoranda
1987 February- December
box 4, folder 6
Correspondence and memoranda
1988 January - 1989 December
box 4, folder 7
Correspondence and memoranda
1990 February - December
box 5, folder 1
Correspondence and memoranda re: Galileo and x-band
1991 January-November
box 5, folder 2
Galileo status reports
1991 April-June
box 5, folder 3
Correspondence and memoranda re: ka-band radio science
1992 January-November
box 5, folder 4
Interoffice memoranda
1993 March-November
box 5, folder 5
Correspondence and memoranda
1994 February-November
box 5, folder 6
Correspondence and memoranda re: gravitational wave experiment
1995-1997
Series 3: Reports and Proposals
1969-1995
box 6, folder 1
Proposal for a general relativity investigation radio science team Viking 1973, Mars mission
1969 October 10
box 6, folder 2
Issues in Gravitational Wave Detection with Space Missions
1973 June 18
box 6, folder 3
Cosmic microwave background radiation paper
1974 October 29
box 6, folder 4
Detection of Gravitational Radiation by Simultaneous Doppler Tracking of Several Spacecraft
1975, 1976
box 6, folder 5
Gravitational Waves from the Nuclei of Distant Galaxies draft by Kip Thorne
1975 June 1
box 6, folder 6
Cosmic Microwave Experiment Proposal: Part I
1976
General
The investigation and technical plan.
box 6, folder 7
Cosmic Wave Experiment Proposal: Part II
1976
General
Management and cost plan.
box 6, folder 8
Jupiter Orbiter Probe 1981/1982 Mission
1976
General
Includes mission description document, science management plan, science rationale, and proposal.
box 6, folder 9
Miscellaneous proposals and plans
1976-1978, 1982
box 6, folder 10
Deep Space Network (DSN), Spacecraft Tracking and Future Technology for Relativity Experiments presentation
1977 April 22-24
box 6, folder 11
Proposed Radio Science Investigation for the Ecliptic Mission
1977 August 16
box 6, folder 12
Gravitational Wave Detection with the Solar Probe
1978
box 6, folder 13
Galileo project plan and policy
1978 May-August
box 6, folder 14
Deep Space Network system requirements
1979 April 15
box 6, folder 15
Planetary Data System Requirements: Multi-mission radio science requirements for the 1978 to 1988 era
1979 October 1
box 7, folder 1
Proposed radio science investigation
1980
General
For the International Solar Polar Mission.
box 7, folder 2
An Understanding of the Influences of Gravitational Experiments on a Solar Probe Mission
1980 March 31
box 7, folder 3
X-band Uplink Technology Demonstration Experiment Requirements documents
1981 January 15
box 7, folder 4
Draft report of the Starprobe ad hoc gravity and relativity committee
1981 March 3
box 7, folder 5
Galileo Mission Requirements document
1981 December
box 7, folder 6
Gravitational Waves Detection
1982 September, 1983 May-July
box 7, folder 7
1986 Galileo Project: NASA support plan
1983 November 15
box 7, folder 8
Project Galileo X-band Uplink Technology Demonstration Experiments document
1984 April
box 7, folder 9
Report on the third station stability x-band measurements at DSS 13
1984 June
box 7, folder 10
Mars Observer Telecommunications Subsystem
1985, undated
box 7, folder 11
Multi-Mission Radio Science Requirements for the 1985 to 2000 era
1985 March 15
box 7, folder 12
Deep Space Network preparation plan, Galileo Project
1985 April 15, May 1
box 7, folder 13
Deep Space Network System functional design, x-band uplink
1986 May 1
box 7, folder 14
Galileo Mission requirements documents
1987 March
box 7, folder 15
Support Instrumentation requirements document (SIRD) for the 1989 Galileo Project
1988 May
box 7, folder 16
Problem/failure report
1989 September 18
box 7, folder 17
Galileo Mission Director Status Report Post-Launch
1989 October-November
box 7, folder 18
Cassini Ka-Band Precision Doppler and Enhanced Telecommunications System study
1990 January 22
box 7, folder 19
Search for the Low-Frequency Gravitational Waves Using the Cassini RSS Facility
1990 February 8
box 8, folder 1
Gravitational Wave Experiment
1990 July
box 8, folder 2
Galileo Science Data Management Plan
1990 November 2
box 8, folder 3
Ulysses Gravitational Wave Experiment Report on the First Opposition
1991 December
box 8, folder 4
Ulysses: IO Plasma Torus Orientation Experiment and Gravitational Wave Experiment operations and data products report
1992 August 28
box 8, folder 5
Gravitational Waves progress reports
1993, undated
box 8, folder 6
Joint Gravitational Wave Experiment (jGWE) operations and data products report
1993 June 14
box 8, folder 7
Gravitational Wave Experiment 95
1995 August 16
box 8, folder 8
Astrodynamics, astrophysics, general relativity program first draft
undated
box 8, folder 9
Miscellaneous reports re: gravitational waves
undated
