National Air and Space Museum Archives

Robert Foster Papers

Summary

Collection ID:
NASM.2004.0062
Creators:
Foster, Robert L, 1922-1994
Dates:
bulk 1930-1974
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.75 Cubic feet
(2 box)
Repository:

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This collection consists of .75 linear ft of Robert L. Foster's professional papers, including the following types of material: reports, correspondence, photographs, invitations, McDonnell newsletters, interoffice memorandums, and newspaper articles. The papers relate to his long association with the McDonnell Douglas Corporation, and his roles in Project Mercury, Project Gemini, and at Vandenberg Air Force Base.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Robert L. Foster (1922-1994) received a BSEE from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1952. Prior to his time at Georgia, Foster was in the US Army Corps of Engineers from 1942-1950. In 1953, he began his long association with McDonnell Douglas Corporation. At McDonnell Douglas Foster had a number of important positions, including the following: Group Engineer for Advanced Design (1958-1959), Senior Group Engineer for Project Mercury (1959-1960), Engineering Manager for Project Mercury (1960-1965) , and Operation manager for Project Gemini (1965-1967). Later in 1967, Foster was transferred from Cape Kennedy to Vandenberg Air Force Base where he served as base manager (1967-1968), Deputy Director (1968-1969) and finally Director (1969 -).

Administration

Immediate Source of Acquisition
Sally Foster-Chang, Gift, 2004

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access.
Preferred Citation
Robert Foster Papers, 2004-0062, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Conditions Governing Use
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Manned space flight Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Space vehicles Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Photographs Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Correspondence Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Articles Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Newsletters Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Memorandums Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Project Gemini (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Project Mercury (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Vandenberg Air Force Base (Calif.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
McDonnell Douglas Corp Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
John F. Kennedy Space Center Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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