Overview of the Collection
Smithsonian Institution Archives,
Washington, D.C.,
osiaref@si.edu
Simons, Keneth A.
Personal Papers
Keneth A. Simons Papers
circa 1957-1958
0.58 cu. ft. (1 tall document box)
Accession 10-004
English
Prefered Citation
Smithsonian Institution Archives, Accession 10-004, Keneth A. Simons Papers
Historical Note
Keneth A. Simons (March 10, 1913-June 14, 2004), ham radio operator and cable television and radio engineer worked for Bell Telephone Laboratories and later was a founding
employee of Jerrold Electronics Corporation. In 1957, he became involved in the Bryn Athyn Moonwatch Team as a radio engineer. Moonwatch teams were established around the
world by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Moonwatch Division, 1956-1975, to track and photograph artificial satellites. The Bryn Athyn Moonwatch Team was relatively
unique in that it combined the use of radios and telescopes to track satellites. Simons was primarily involved in Doppler tracking the Sputnik satellites.
Descriptive Entry
This accession consists of records created and maintained by Simons documenting his participation on the Moonwatch Team and the local publicity he received. Materials
include a report on the Team's work, clippings, instructions for tracking satellites, tracking data, and audio recordings of satellites.
Index Terms
This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.
Name
Simons, Keneth A.
Bell Telephone Laboratories
Jerrold Electronics Corporation
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. Moonwatch Division
Bryn Athyn Moonwatch Team
Subject
Amateur radio stations
Radio engineers
Cable television
Artificial satellites -- Tracking
Artificial satellites -- Doppler tracking
Sputnik satellites
Bryn Athyn (Pa.)
Physical Characteristics of Materials in the Collection
Manuscripts
Audiotapes
Clippings
Box 1
Box 1 of 1
Tracking Sputnik with the Bryn Athyn Moonwatchers - Report and Figures by Ken Simons, Research Engineer, Jerrold Electronics Corporation
Box 1 of 1
Modified Orbital Elements for Earth Satellite 1958-B2 - Forms
Box 1 of 1
Simplified Satellite Prediction from Modified Orbital Elements - National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council, Draft, August 29, 1958
Box 1 of 1
Volunteer International Geophysical Year Satellite Tracking Program - Instructions, October 1958
Box 1 of 1
Bryn Athyn Moonwatch Team Newspaper Clippings, 1957
Box 1 of 1
Audio Recordings of Sputnik Satellites, 1/4" audiotape (2 reels)
Box 1 of 1
"Voices of the Satellites: Authentic 'Live' Recording of Radio Signals from Man's First Five Satellites," Recorded by Professor Thomas A. Benham from the Campus of Haverford College, 1/4" audiotape
Box 1 of 1
Doppler Curve Correspondence, 1957 (Accession 10-097)
Box 1 of 1
Participation Recognition (Accession 10-097)
Box 1 of 1
Bryn Athyn Moonwatch Team - Local Newspaper Clippings, 1957-1958 (Accession 10-097)
Box 1 of 1
Institute of Radio Engineers, Philadelphia Section, "Almanack," February 1958 (Accession 10-097)