TIROS 1 50th Anniversary Celebration

TIROS 1's 50th Anniversary - April 1, 2010
The Astro Princeton Area Celebration Events Were Very Successful!
This website is devoted to telling the history of the TIROS and DMSP program,
while sharing the Astro history that was common to these and other space
programs at the Astro Space Center.

[T5ABanner]

Welcome - Here you'll find a summary of the TIROS 1 50th Local Celebration and a History of Astro's meteorological programs.

Welcome to the TIROS 1 50th Anniversary Celebration Web Site. . . . I'm George Martch, and I'm serving as the Local Area Celebration coordinator . . . . This website tells of the TIROS and DMSP history as gathered from several sources and augmented by participant's comments. Select from Eight Chapters in TheStories section . . . . Additionally, a special Memories Section is announced for Participants to share their special memories of their time at the Astro Space facility, visit Memories to learn more. . . . Presentation material shown at public gatherings will either be found here or links provide for access. Thank you for participating in celebrating the 50th Anniversary of TIROS 1. . . . Hope you enjoy the website.

Since the IEEE Milestone Award Presentation culminated our local celebration, the TIROS-1 50TH ANC LLC, is now closed. This website will remain in operation.

The 2nd IEEE Milestone Award Plaque Presentation
A second TIROS 1 celebration event was held on Sunday Nov. 13, 2011 at Camp Evans, Fort Monmouth, NJ, home of InfoAge Science History Learning Center Museum. Over a dozen Camp Evans buildings, including the original Marconi buildings, built before the World War I era, were acquired by InfoAge during Fort Monmouth base closure proceedings. InfoAge, an educational non-profit is run exclusively by volunteers. To learn more about InfoAge, visit their website at InfoAge
The IEEE Costal Section sponsored the presentation of the 2nd TIROS Milestone Award to InfoAge, which was a copy of Bronze Plaque for the TIROS 1 previously awarded to the Sarnoff Inc. located at the former RCA Laboratories in West Windsor, NJ. Visit the InfoAge website: visit the InfoAge to learn about InfoAge activties and programs.
The IEEE presentation of the award was held in the "TIROS" building on Marconi Rd at the site of the "Sentry Antenna", 60' diameter parabolic antenna used for TIROS 1 and 2 space video and telemetry communications. InfoAge is seeking the National Historic Register status for the "TIROS" building which housed the TIROS 1 and 2 Primary Command and Data Acquisition (CDA) station in the TIROS Ground System Network.

More on the Celebration at InfoAge after the Plaque Presentation
After the award presentation, a slide show on TIROS 1's development was discussed to provided attendees information on the activities at Fort Monmouth before and during launch operations at spacecraft operations at the CDA. This celebration at Camp Evans also focused on the activities associated with TIROS 2 and its Medium Resolution Infrared Radiometer (MRIR) and Heat Balance Experiment or Low Resolution Infrared Radiometer (LRIR), both supplied by NASA/GSFC.
In the 1956-1957 era, the Pre-TIROS era, classified spacecraft work for Fort Monmouth was conducted by RCA Labs. After NASA was announced, Fort Monmouth's team manager Herb Butler was assigned to NASA/Hq and engineer John Maskasky was assigned to NASA/GSFC, who came to RCA Astro to provide contract technical direction for NASA/GSFC.

RCA Astro Pioneers, Marv Harper then at RCA Camden, worked at Camp Evans on infrared Identify Friendly or Foe (IFF) systems before TIROS and later at RCA Astro was on the CDA team for both TIROS 1 and 2, and Al Aronson who designed the TIROS spacecraft controls subsystem hardware, and Vic Auerbach, who worked on TIROS 1 Ground stations and was at the Secondary CDA station on the West Coast for TIROS 1 and 2, each told of their actvities in the TIROS story.
Vic Auerbach made available a TIROS 2 video from PMR Point Mugu which was taped by commercial TV and Ray Hallows converted the video to a DVD which was on display, and Vic provided cloud cover 35 mm film strips on display on a light table for viewing with a magnifier.
A NASA/GSFC's pioneer, John F. Davis introduced the two TIROS 2 NASA/GSFC radiometers to the attendees. He had previously worked on Bill Stroud's team at Fort Monmouth on the Signal Corps Vanguard 2 spacecraft which was ultimately launched on Feb, 17, 1959, but when in orbit, the satellite suffered instability and tumbled disrupting the sensor system.
When NASA was announced, key Fort Monmouth managers along with the members of the IR group at Fort Monmouth were transferred to NASA/GSFC where they formed the team to design a radiometer for TIROS. The IR team was led by Bill Stroud and his technical staff included of Bill Bandeen, Rudy Hanel, and Rudy Stampfl providing key design leadership. The John Davis, a member of the MRIR team, was responsible for the communications electronics channels for multiplexing the MRIR five sensor channels and a LBIR single channel to a composite signal for recording and subsequent transmission to the Ground System.
On April 3rd, 2010, a Frist Forum with eight TIROS Pioneers participating was video taped to capture their recollections of the TIROS 1 development era. A slide show introduced the Forum in the context of the TIROS 1 program. This one hour video, captured by Sica Productions, was shown by Dave Sica to the IEEE members and guests following lunch.

As previously announced, the proceeds from the Celebration were to be donated to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK). TASK is a private, charitable, non-religious organization. TASK was designated in recognition of their continued outstanding mission performance in support of those in need in our community.
The celebration incurred several costs, the largest were those associated with the Astro Dinner. The costs of video taping the Frist Roundtable Interview were offset in part by contributions from supporters, and other contributions were most welcome. The proceeds reflected the generosity Paulie Villareal, owner of Paulie's Anna Rose restaurant, who catered the Astro Dinner at the West Trenton Ballroom.
Visit the Astro Dinner section of the website to read about the donation to TASK on Nov. 8, 2010.

On September 27, 2010, the IEEE Milestone Program bronze plaque for the TIROS 1 Program was presented to the Sarnoff Inc. the current owner of the site of the former RCA Laboratories located in West Windsor New Jersey. Sarnoff Inc. hosted the ceremony in their auditorium facility. IEEE sponsored the event and invited 150 guests to participate in the unveiling ceremony. Guests included family members of deceased participants. For more details click on IEEEStatus below.

May 4, 2010 - Washington, DC.
Congressman Rush D. Holt ( New Jersey 12th Congressional District) introduced HR1231 in the House of Representatives on March 25, 2010. On May 4th, in the 111th Congress, 2nd Session the House suspend the rules and agree to the resolution.
Rep. Holt (Science and Technology Committee) spoke on April 3rd, 2010 at the Frist Campus Center TIROS-DMSP program on the importance of all citizens to have an appreciation and understanding of the scientific method and the value of evidence to inform public policy decisions. He described HR 1231 and read a brief excerpt. HR1231 House Resolution - TIROS 1 50th Anniversary

Events Summary- Click on Event Info, Presentations materials shown at Princeton University's Frist Campus Center, and TIROS Day at PPPLSoS are available here via links providing access to presentation materials shown on April 10. Since April 26th - PPPL SoS links for the videos are available - however reports of problems viewing these videos have been passed on to the PPPL Staff.

Astro Dinner- On April 11, about 140 attended a Dinner at the West Trenton Ballroom and enjoyed meeting friends and colleagues. The dinner was catered by Paulie's Anna Rose restaurant of West Trenton, and they provided great food and service that was enjoyed by all. The Monday Blues Jazz Orchestra provided music for the event which was delightful they accommodated the wishes of the participants. Participants from NASA/GSFC and NOAA attended to share their common experiences in the Astro programs.

Former RCA Astro CEO Jack Frohbieter summarized "The Astro Story" covering the achievements during the forty years of Astro operation sharing the impressive record of accomplishments. Jack's presentation reminded all of the pride and spirit of those who worked at Astro, and the audience were grateful to again reflect upon these decades of service to our customers and in many instances the nation.
Former LM Astro CEO Ken Johnson spoke next on the "The Final Years" of outstanding achievements by the team that completed the final three years of product deliveries after the after Lockheed Martin company announced the plant closure. Facing the dislocation to their lives, the team established record levels of shipments and launch operation activities in the commercial and government business sectors and in doing so earned the praise of the then CEO of LM, Norman Augustine, who noted, "Astro is the crown jewel of the LM Corporation".
These two talks received a standing ovation, with many expressing their gratitude that these fine gentlemen reminded them of what it meant to have renewed pride of their years working at Astro.

Click AstroDinner below for more on the Astro Dinner Event and the complete text of Jack and Ken's presentation.
IEEE Milestone Program Ceremony Report - The Princeton Central Jersey section of the IEEE applied for and the IEEE National awarded the Milestone Award for TIROS 1. Presently, the IEEE has awarded 100 Milestone Awards and RCA was recipient of two prior awards for the Liquid Crystal Display and The Color Television System. The ceremony was held on Monday Sept 27, 2010 at the Sarnoff Inc. facility in West Windor. Click IEEE Status below.
Click on Contact Us - For lists of early Astro Participants and photos. Lists of those we are trying to locate, and those we have already located follow. We need all to help to "Contact All of Us"
History and Your Story- Learn about what on earth was going on! Join others and add your comments in this collection of memories related to the TIROS and DMSP history.
Memories- Share your interesting recollections on other matters from your days at Astro.