National Air and Space Museum Archives

United States Space Program Oral History Collection [Kapp]

Summary

Collection ID:
NASM.XXXX.0138
Creators:
Kapp, Michael
Dates:
1939-1977 and undated
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
30.01 Cubic feet
44 legal document boxes; 9 letter document boxes; 8 audio boxes
Repository:
This collection consists of reel to reel audio tapes relating to the United States space program. The material includes recordings of events, missions, press conferences, and other happenings from the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This collection consists of a unique group of sound recordings collected by Michael Kapp, constituting an oral history of the U.S. space program from its theoretical beginnings through Apollo 13. Some recordings relating to foreign space programs are also included. The tape collection represents thousands of hours of recordings that were assembled over six years, including blockhouse recordings, launch sounds, telemetry, air-to-ground mission recordings, press conferences, and briefings. Space programs represented include Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and various satellite programs. Recordings include interviews and mission commentary of numerous astronauts, as well as media figures, U.S. Presidents, Congressional leaders, and scientists.

Arrangement

Arrangement
This collection is arranged in two series:
1. Audio
2. Transcripts
The audio is organized in boxes and identified by the identification number assigned by Kapp. The transcripts are arranged by mission.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
Michael Kapp was the producer of the Bill Dana "Jose Jimenez in Orbit" record album in the 1960s and provider of many of the music tapes broadcast to the Gemini crews from mission control.

Administration

Author
Melissa Carson (2001); Amanda Buel (2019)
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Michael Kapp, Gift, 1969, NASM.XXXX.0138
Processing Information
The original finding aid was authored by Melissa Carson in 2001 and only provided information about the transcript (textual) materials. The completed finding aid was compiled from item-level database records and now includes a full box listing for 52 boxes of audio materials. The final finding aid and EAD encoding were completed by Amanda Buel in 2019.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
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.
Preferred Citation
United States Space Program Oral History Collection [Kapp], Acc. NASM.XXXX.0138, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Astronautics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Manned space flight Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Astronauts Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Launch vehicles (Astronautics) Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Artificial satellites Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Outer space -- Exploration Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Outer space -- Exploration -- United States Geographic Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Kapp, Michael Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Project Mercury (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Project Gemini (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Project Apollo (U.S.) Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

National Air and Space Museum Archives
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