Space Park is an aerospace engineering campus occupying over 100 acres in
Redondo Beach, California
Redondo Beach (Spanish for ) is a coastal city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, located in the South Bay (Los Angeles County), South Bay region of the Greater Los Angeles area. It is one of three adjacent Beach Cities, beach c ...
, since 1961, expanding in 1968 to a nearly adjacent 90 acres in
Manhattan Beach (15 of which were developed as public sports facilities between 1987 and 2001; 22 of which were sold in 1996 and became the MBS Media Campus).

Founded as Space Technology Center by Space Technology Laboratories (STL), the site is now owned and operated by
Northrop Grumman Corp. (NGC) since its 2002 acquisition of
TRW Inc.
TRW Inc. was an American corporation involved in a variety of businesses, mainly aerospace, electronics, Automotive industry, automotive, and Credit bureau, credit reporting.http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/TRW-Inc-Company-Hist ...
This group of buildings became the first in the
USA
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...
constructed solely for the entire process of designing, building, and testing
spacecraft
A spacecraft is a vehicle that is designed spaceflight, to fly and operate in outer space. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including Telecommunications, communications, Earth observation satellite, Earth observation, Weather s ...
. The
architect
An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...
s designed them so every engineer could have a
desk
A desk or bureau is a piece of furniture with a flat table (furniture), table-style work surface used in a school, office, home or the like for academic, professional or domestic activities such as reading (activity), reading, writing, or using ...
with a window view of tree-scaped
courtyard
A courtyard or court is a circumscribed area, often surrounded by a building or complex, that is open to the sky.
Courtyards are common elements in both Western and Eastern building patterns and have been used by both ancient and contemporary a ...
s. During the 1960
groundbreaking
Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod, turf-cutting, or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such cer ...
ceremony, STL leaders joined in an
ecumenical
Ecumenism ( ; alternatively spelled oecumenism)also called interdenominationalism, or ecumenicalismis the concept and principle that Christians who belong to different Christian denominations should work together to develop closer relationships ...
prayer for the
space age
The Space Age is a period encompassing the activities related to the space race, space exploration, space technology, and the cultural developments influenced by these events, beginning with the launch of Sputnik 1 on October 4, 1957, and co ...
: "We dedicate this building then to the protection of our land, to the discovery of our
universe
The universe is all of space and time and their contents. It comprises all of existence, any fundamental interaction, physical process and physical constant, and therefore all forms of matter and energy, and the structures they form, from s ...
, but most of all to the spearheading of Peace on
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to Planetary habitability, harbor life. This is enabled by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface water. Almost all ...
and Good Will to Men."
Prominent buildings

This list includes buildings with prefixes to readily identify activities therein, shown in maps published for visitors:
:D = Development: D1
:E = Executive: E1 (originally Engineering), E2 (originally Administration)
:M = Manufacturing:
M1, (M1A defunct), M1E (east annex), M2, M2N (north annex), M3, (M3B defunct), M4, M5, M6, M7, M8
:O = Offices: O1, O2, O3, O4, (O5 defunct)
:R = Research:
[ R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R7A (annex), (R8 defunct), R9, R10, R11, (R12 defunct)
:S = Services][ ( badging, ]calibration
In measurement technology and metrology, calibration is the comparison of measurement values delivered by a device under test with those of a calibration standard of known accuracy. Such a standard could be another measurement device of known ...
, catering
Catering is the business of providing food services at a remote site or a site such as a hotel, hospital, pub, aircraft, cruise ship, park, festival, filming location or film studio.
History of catering
The earliest account of major service ...
, financial
Finance refers to monetary resources and to the study and Academic discipline, discipline of money, currency, assets and Liability (financial accounting), liabilities. As a subject of study, is a field of Business administration, Business Admin ...
, lock+key, merchandising
Merchandising is any practice which contributes to the sale of Product (business), products ("merch" colloquially) to a retail consumer. At a retail in-store level, merchandising refers to displaying products that are for sale in a creative w ...
, reprography
Reprography (a portmanteau of ''reproduction'' and ''photography'') is the reproduction of graphics through mechanical or electrical means, such as photography or xerography. Reprography is commonly used in catalogs and archives, as well as in t ...
, security
Security is protection from, or resilience against, potential harm (or other unwanted coercion). Beneficiaries (technically referents) of security may be persons and social groups, objects and institutions, ecosystems, or any other entity or ...
)
:TF = Test Facility: TF1, TF2, (TF3 renamed to M8)
Names on the original building signs were hyphenated (e.g., "R-1" instead of "R1"); though some remain, most have been replaced by non-hyphenated ones.[
Bldg. E2 houses a 3,500 sq. ft. ]museum
A museum is an institution dedicated to displaying or Preservation (library and archive), preserving culturally or scientifically significant objects. Many museums have exhibitions of these objects on public display, and some have private colle ...
that is open to the public during business hours. The exhibit includes a scale model
A scale model is a physical model that is geometrically similar to an object (known as the ''prototype''). Scale models are generally smaller than large prototypes such as vehicles, buildings, or people; but may be larger than small protot ...
of the ''Spirit of St. Louis
The ''Spirit of St. Louis'' (formally the Ryan NYP, registration: N-X-211) is the custom-built, single-engine, single-seat, high-wing monoplane that Charles Lindbergh flew on May 20–21, 1927, on the Charles Lindbergh#New York–Paris flight ...
'', an original Pioneer 1
Pioneer 1 (also known as Able 2) was an American space probe, the first under the auspices of NASA, which was launched by a Thor-Able rocket on 11 October 1958. It was intended to orbit the Moon and make scientific measurements, but due to a g ...
satellite, and an Apollo
Apollo is one of the Twelve Olympians, Olympian deities in Ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek and Ancient Roman religion, Roman religion and Greek mythology, Greek and Roman mythology. Apollo has been recognized as a god of archery, mu ...
mission engine.
Shortly after acquiring TRW, NGC built the Space Technology Presentation Center north of E2 (shown on early maps as STPC or TPC), sometimes calling it Northrop Grumman Presentation Center before officially renaming it Aerospace Presentation Center (APC).
As business needs have fluctuated, other buildings (mostly identified by numbers without letters from 50 to 924 on maps) have been acquired or leased near Space Park in Redondo Beach, Manhattan Beach, El Segundo, and Torrance.
Public milestones
STL, TRW, and NGC have made technological achievements at their other locations; but this section only chronicles publicized activities at, or closely related to, Space Park. A significant amount of the work on the campus involves spy satellites that cannot be listed because of national security secrets, and sometimes the delivery of these systems from Space Park can require closure of public facilities.
1960s
* October 6, 1960 STL announced holding an option on land for a 10-building complex.
* 1960 STL purchased 110 acres[ from ]Santa Fe Railroad
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996.
The Santa Fe was a pioneer in intermodal freight transport; at variou ...
in Redondo Beach.
* December 7, 1960 Ground broken for first three buildings: R1 and R2 for research, and E for engineering[ (later renamed "E1" to distinguish it from an executive bldg. named "E2").
]
* January 6, 1961 STL awarded contract to build Orbiting Geophysical Observatories (OGO) to conduct experiments within Earth's atmosphere, magnetosphere, and in cis-lunar space to better understand Earth-Sun relationships and Earth itself as a planet.
* November 1, 1961 Ribbon-cutting ceremony
An opening ceremony, grand opening, or ribbon-cutting ceremony marks the official opening of a newly constructed location or the start of an event. held as R1 opened for business.
* November 24, 1961 STL awarded contract to build Vela satellites
Vela was the name of a group of reconnaissance satellites developed as the Vela Hotel element of Project Vela by the United States to detect nuclear detonations and monitor Soviet Union compliance with the 1963 Partial Test Ban Treaty.
Vela s ...
for detecting nuclear explosions.
* June 29, 1962 Senator Robert S. Kerr (Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aeronautical and Space Sciences) gave keynote
A keynote in public speaking is a talk that establishes a main underlying theme. In corporate or commercial settings, greater importance is attached to the delivery of a keynote speech or keynote address. The keynote establishes the framework fo ...
speech for site's formal dedication after completing E1, M1, R1, R2, and R3.[
* November 1962 ]Harold Peary
Harold "Hal" Peary (born Harrold José Pereira de Faria; July 25, 1908 – March 30, 1985) was an American actor, comedian and singer in radio, films, television, and animation. His most memorable role is as Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve, whi ...
(original star of ''The Great Gildersleeve
''The Great Gildersleeve'' was a radio situation comedy broadcast in the United States from August 31, 1941 to 1958. Initially written by Leonard Lewis Levinson, it was one of broadcast history's earliest spin-off programs. The series was buil ...
'') toured Space Park while serving as honorary
An honorary position is one given as an honor, with no duties attached, and without payment. Other uses include:
* Honorary Academy Award, by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, United States
* Honorary Aryan, a status in Nazi Germany ...
mayor
In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a Municipal corporation, municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilitie ...
of Manhattan Beach.
* December 1962 NBC News
NBC News is the news division of the American broadcast television network NBC. The division operates under NBCUniversal Media Group, a division of NBCUniversal, which is itself a subsidiary of Comcast. The news division's various operations r ...
aerospace reporter, Roy Neal
Roy Neal Hinkel (May 30, 1921 – August 15, 2003) was an American television correspondent for NBC News. An aerospace specialist, he reported live on the Apollo 11 landing. His newscast of that event was later released on LP by Evolution Record ...
promoted his Minuteman Missile
The LGM-30 Minuteman is an American land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in service with the Air Force Global Strike Command. , the LGM-30G (Version 3) is the only land-based ICBM in service in the United States and represents th ...
book at Space Park.
* April–May 1963 NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
Administrator James E. Webb
James Edwin Webb (October 7, 1906 – March 27, 1992) was an American government official who served as Undersecretary of State from 1949 to 1952. He was the second Administrator of NASA, Administrator of NASA from February 14, 1961, to Octob ...
toured Space Park.
* May 1963 NASA selected STL to competitively develop a Lunar Excursion Module Descent Engine (LEMDE) for its Apollo program
The Apollo program, also known as Project Apollo, was the United States human spaceflight program led by NASA, which Moon landing, landed the first humans on the Moon in 1969. Apollo followed Project Mercury that put the first Americans in sp ...
.
* June 24, 1963 Pamela Britton
Pamela Britton (born Armilda Jane Owens; March 19, 1923 – June 17, 1974) was an American actress, best known for appearing as Lorelei Brown in the television series ''My Favorite Martian'' (1963–1966) and for her female lead in the film no ...
and Byron Keith
Byron Keith (born Cletus Leo Schwitters; November 17, 1917 – January 19, 1996) was an American actor. He also worked on radio as Clete Lee.
Keith made his film debut in the 1946 Orson Welles thriller '' The Stranger'' and appeared mostly in s ...
promoted U.S. Savings Bonds at Space Park.
* October 16, 1963 Successful launch of the first pair of STL-built Vela satellites, which began enforcing the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
The Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT), formally known as the 1963 Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and Under Water, prohibited all nuclear weapons testing, test detonations of nuclear weapons except for those co ...
.[
* May 22, 1964 ]Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 – June 5, 2004) was an American politician and actor who served as the 40th president of the United States from 1981 to 1989. He was a member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party a ...
gave a speech for conservatism
Conservatism is a Philosophy of culture, cultural, Social philosophy, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, Convention (norm), customs, and Value (ethics and social science ...
outside the Bldg. S cafeteria.
* July 16, 1964 Successful launch of the second pair of STL-built Vela satellites.[
* July 1964 ]Lawrence Dobkin
Lawrence Dobkin (September 16, 1919 – October 28, 2002) was an American television director, character actor and screenwriter whose career spanned seven decades.
Dobkin was a prolific performer during the Golden Age of Radio. He narrat ...
directed on-site filming of scenes for the ''Boy Meets Girl'' episode of My Living Doll
''My Living Doll'' is an American science-fiction sitcom starring Bob Cummings and Julie Newmar. The series was aired on CBS from September 27, 1964, to March 17, 1965. It was produced by Jack Chertok and filmed at Desilu studios by Jack Cherto ...
starring Julie Newmar
Julie Newmar (born Julia Chalene Newmeyer; August 16, 1933) is an American actress, dancer, and singer known for a variety of stage, screen, and television roles. She is also a writer, lingerie designer, and real estate Business magnate, mogul. ...
and Robert Cummings
Charles Clarence Robert Orville Cummings (June 9, 1910 – December 2, 1990) was an American film and television actor who appeared in roles in comedy films such as ''The Devil and Miss Jones'' (1941) and ''Princess O'Rourke'' (1943), and in d ...
(aired September 27).
** View of R1, E1, and R2 looking southwest during opening credits
In a motion picture, television program or video game, the opening credits or opening titles are shown at the very beginning and list the most important members of the production. They are now usually shown as text superimposed on a blank scree ...
pans down to prop
A prop, formally known as a (theatrical) property, is an object actors use on stage or screen during a performance or screen production. In practical terms, a prop is considered to be anything movable or portable on a stage or a set, distinct ...
sign: SRC, Space Research Center Inc. This same scene was replayed at the beginning of ''The Love Machine'' episode.
** 3 minutes in, Newmar walks northeast from E1 past the pool and R2 toward R1.
** Still photos published in the Sentinel newspaper for TRW employees show Newmar continuing north from R2 with E1 in the background. In this scene that never aired, gardeners stare at her mesmerized, one of them humorously spraying the other with a water hose
A hose is a flexible hollow tube or pipe designed to carry fluids from one location to another, often from a faucet or hydrant.
Early hoses were made of leather, although modern hoses are typically made of rubber, canvas, and helically wound w ...
.
** 4 minutes in, Cummings exits R1 to discuss Newmar's whereabouts with Henry Beckman
Henry Beckman (26 November 1921 – 17 June 2008) was a Canadian stage, film and television actor.
Career
Beckman appeared in well over 100 productions in the United States and Canada, including recurring roles as Commander Paul Richards in th ...
.
** 6 minutes in, Newmar walks southwest about 500 meters from Space Park with R2, E1, S, and M1 in the background, causing a traffic collision
A traffic collision, also known as a motor vehicle collision, or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other moving or stationary obstruction, such as a tree, pole or building. Tr ...
after crossing Aviation Boulevard
Aviation Boulevard is a major north–south thoroughfare in western and the South Bay region of Los Angeles County, California.
Route Description
Aviation Boulevard runs for 7.1 miles (11.4 km), starting near Westchester, and through the ...
at 12th Street in Manhattan Beach.
* 1964 Charles F. Haas
Charles Friedman Haas (November 15, 1913 – May 12, 2011) was an American film and television director.
Biography
Haas was born in Chicago, Illinois and graduated from Harvard University. In 1935, he began his career at Universal Studios - ...
directed on-site filming of scenes for the "Cold Hands, Warm Heart
"Cold Hands, Warm Heart" is an episode of the original '' The Outer Limits'' television show. It first aired on September 26, 1964, during the second season. The episode features William Shatner in the lead role as a space explorer, not long ...
" episode of ''The Outer Limits
''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
'' starring William Shatner
William Shatner (born March 22, 1931) is a Canadian actor. In a career spanning seven decades, he is best known for his portrayal of James T. Kirk in the ''Star Trek'' franchise, from his 1966 debut as the captain of the starship USS Enterpri ...
, Lloyd Gough
Lloyd Gough (born Michael Gough; September 21, 1907 – July 23, 1984) was an American theater, film, and television actor.
Life and career
Born Michael Gough in New York City, he was a noted character actor.
Married to actress-turned-activi ...
, and Geraldine Brooks (aired September 26).
** 4 minutes in, Shatner parks his car with Gough in the lot north of bldg. S.
** 5 minutes in, Shatner and Gough enter bldg. E1 for a press conference (which appears to be in bldg. R2 with E1 in the background, apparently filmed in a studio against a film still
A film still (sometimes called a publicity still or a production still) is a photograph, taken on or off the set of a Film, movie or television program during Film production, production. These photographs are also taken in formal studio settings ...
of E1).
** 6 minutes in, Shatner is shown the ''Space Environment Test Chamber'' in bldg. M1 and is told it can go from "315 degrees below 0 Fahrenheit
The Fahrenheit scale () is a scale of temperature, temperature scale based on one proposed in 1724 by the German-Polish physicist Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736). It uses the degree Fahrenheit (symbol: °F) as the unit. Several accou ...
to 275 above, and create a vacuum
A vacuum (: vacuums or vacua) is space devoid of matter. The word is derived from the Latin adjective (neuter ) meaning "vacant" or "void". An approximation to such vacuum is a region with a gaseous pressure much less than atmospheric pressur ...
equivalent to 700,000 feet altitude
Altitude is a distance measurement, usually in the vertical or "up" direction, between a reference datum (geodesy), datum and a point or object. The exact definition and reference datum varies according to the context (e.g., aviation, geometr ...
" (its actual design specification
A design specification (or product design specification) is a document which details exactly what criteria a product or a process should comply with. If the product or its design are being created on behalf of a customer, the specification should ...
)
** 16.5 minutes in, the south entrance of bldg. R1 is shown with R3, S, and E1 in the background for an establishing shot
An establishing shot in filmmaking and television production sets up, or establishes, the context for a scene by showing the relationship between its important figures and objects. It is generally a long or extreme-long shot at the beginning of ...
.
** 34 minutes in, another establishing shot of Shatner's car in the same parking lot as the opening scene, but in mirror image
A mirror image (in a plane mirror) is a reflection (physics), reflected duplication of an object that appears almost identical, but is reversed in the direction perpendicular to the mirror surface. As an optical phenomenon, optical effect, it r ...
.
** 41.5 minutes in, scene inside bldg. M1 staged so that Brooks appears to be coaxing Shatner in the ''Space Environment Chamber''.
* September 5, 1964 Successful launch of the STL-built OGO-1, the first operational three-axis-stable spacecraft.[
* October 8, 1964 ]Charlton Heston
Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008) was an American actor. He gained stardom for his leading man roles in numerous Cinema of the United States, Hollywood films including biblical epics, science-fiction f ...
and Polly Bergen
Polly Bergen (born Nellie Paulina Burgin; July 14, 1930 – September 20, 2014) was an American actress, singer, television host, writer, and entrepreneur.
She won an Emmy Award in 1958 for her performance as Helen Morgan (singer), Helen ...
gave speeches against California Proposition 14 outside the Bldg. S cafeteria.
* January 18, 1965 NASA chose STL's LEMDE for its Apollo program.[
* May 1965 STL became TRW Systems Group.
* July 17, 1965 Successful launch of the third pair of TRW-built Vela satellites.][
* October 14, 1965 Successful launch of the TRW-built OGO-2.][
* 1965 Dick Pick and Don Nelson began developing the Generalized Information Retrieval Language System at TRW to control the inventory of Cheyenne helicopter parts, which became a forerunner of the first multi-platform, general-purpose computing environments.
* 1966 ]United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
awarded contract to TRW for Defense Support Program
The Defense Support Program (DSP) is a program of the United States Space Force that operated the reconnaissance satellites which form the principal component of the ''Satellite Early Warning System'' used by the United States.
DSP satellite ...
(DSP), a ''Satellite Early-Warning System'' to monitor ballistic-missile launches and nuclear explosion
A nuclear explosion is an explosion that occurs as a result of the rapid release of energy from a high-speed nuclear reaction. The driving reaction may be nuclear fission or nuclear fusion or a multi-stage cascading combination of the two, th ...
s.
* May 9, 1966 Ronald Reagan returned to Space Park while campaigning to become governor
A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
.
* June 7, 1966 Successful launch of the TRW-built OGO-3.[
]
* October 1966 Robert Altman
Robert Bernard Altman ( ; February 20, 1925 – November 20, 2006) was an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He is considered an enduring figure from the New Hollywood era, known for directing subversive and sat ...
directed five short scenes on site for ''Countdown'' (under its working title
A working title is a preliminary name for a product or project. The usage is especially common in film and TV, gaming, music and publishing. It is often styled in trade publications as (wt) and is synonymous with production title and tentative ...
of ''Moonshot'').
** 4 minutes in, Joanna Moore
Joanna Moore (born Dorothy Joanne Cook; November 10, 1934 – November 22, 1997) was an American film and television actress, who, between 1956 and 1976, appeared in 17 feature films and guest-starred in nearly a hundred television series episod ...
arrives in the parking lot north of R1 as the wife of an astronaut
An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a List of human spaceflight programs, human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member of a spa ...
played by James Caan
James Edmund Caan ( ; March 26, 1940 – July 6, 2022) was an American actor. He came to prominence playing Sonny Corleone in ''The Godfather'' (1972), for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, Academy Award an ...
, who converses with his commander played by Robert Duvall
Robert Selden Duvall (; born January 5, 1931) is an American actor. With a career spanning seven decades, he is regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. He has received an Academy Awards, Academy Award, a British Academy Film Awards ...
, and their manager played by Steve Ihnat
Stefan Ihnat (August 7, 1934 – May 12, 1972) was a Slovak-born American actor and director.
Early life
Ihnat was born to Andrew and Mary Ihnat in Slovakia and was raised on a farm in Lynden, Ontario. His family settled there after fle ...
.
** 19 minutes in, Duvall exits a staircase
A stairwell or stair room is a room in a building where a stair is located, and is used to connect walkways between floors so that one can move in height. Collectively, a set of stairs and a stairwell is referred to as a staircase or stairway ...
from the lower level of bldg. S, shunning the medical doctor played by Charles Aidman
Charles Leonard Aidman (January 21, 1925 – November 7, 1993) was an American stage, film and television actor.
Early life
Aidman was born in Frankfort, Indiana, the son of George E. and Etta (Kwitny) Aidman. Aidman graduated from Frankfort ...
exiting the ground-level bridge
A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...
.
** 36 minutes in, a journalist
A journalist is a person who gathers information in the form of text, audio or pictures, processes it into a newsworthy form and disseminates it to the public. This is called journalism.
Roles
Journalists can work in broadcast, print, advertis ...
confronts Aidman as he walks alongside the pool
Pool may refer to:
Bodies of water
* Swimming pool, usually an artificial structure containing a large body of water intended for swimming
* Reflecting pool, a shallow pool designed to reflect a structure and its surroundings
* Tide pool, a roc ...
with R1 and R3 in the background.
** 72 minutes in, extras pass by R2's east entry at night with the caption, "Space Control Center, Houston, Texas".
** 95 minutes in, Moore sits on the pool's rim at night, then is joined by Duvall to discuss her husband's fate with E1 and R2 in the background.
* October 11, 1966 Pat Brown
Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown (April 21, 1905 – February 16, 1996) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 32nd governor of California from 1959 to 1967. His first elected office was as district attorney for San Francisco, and he ...
campaigned at Space Park, hoping to remain Governor of California
The governor of California is the head of government of the U.S. state of California. The Governor (United States), governor is the commander-in-chief of the California National Guard and the California State Guard.
Established in the Constit ...
for a third term.
* October 31, 1966 Ronald Reagan returned to Space Park for a third time (his second while campaigning to become governor) near the end of E2's construction.
* November 1, 1966 TRW was granted a patent for James Buie's coupling-transistor logic (later known as transistor–transistor logic (TTL), which he had filed on September 8, 1961, during Space Park's construction).
* February 15, 1967 Herschel Daugherty
Herschel Eldon Daugherty (October 27, 1910 – March 5, 1993) was an American television and film director and occasional actor.
Early life and career
Born in Clarks Hill, Indiana, to Charles Emerson and Blanche Eracene Daugherty (né Feere ...
directed on-site filming of scenes for the "Operation -- Annihilate!
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
" episode of ''Star Trek
''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...
'' (aired April 13).
** 7.5 minutes in, viewed from R3, Kirk
Kirk is a Scottish and former Northern English word meaning 'church'. The term ''the Kirk'' is often used informally to refer specifically to the Church of Scotland, the Scottish national church that developed from the 16th-century Reformation ...
, Spock
Spock is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. He first appeared in the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star Trek'' series serving aboard the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), USS ''Enterpri ...
, Bones
A bone is a rigid organ that constitutes part of the skeleton in most vertebrate animals. Bones protect the various other organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells, store minerals, provide structure and support for the body, an ...
, Scotty
Scotty is a common nickname for a Scottish people, Scottish man, or for a Scottish Terrier dog.
Scotty may also refer to:
People Given name or nickname
*Scotty Alcock (1885–1973), American baseball player
*Scotty Allan (1867–1941), American ...
, and two other crew members beam down from their starship ''Enterprise'' to the east side of the pool between E1, R1, R2, and R3; then walk toward R3.
** Briefly viewed from R2's roof, the crew proceeds southward along the west side of the pool walking toward the northwest corner of E1.
** Briefly viewed from bldg. S, the crew proceeds eastward from the southeast corner of E1 toward the west side of S.
** 8 minutes in, viewed from E2, the crew pauses at the northwest corner of S to discuss their observations, then backtracks toward E2.
** 8.5 minutes in, on the lower-level patio of S, they observe four hostile men approaching from E2, who run down the northeast staircase toward them. They stun all four, then hear a woman scream from inside S, and run to her aid.
** 16 minutes in (after having returned to the ''Enterprise''), Kirk beams back down to the northeast staircase of S to rejoin the crew on the patio.
** Indoor scenes where flying creatures attack the crew (paralyzing Spock) were not filmed in S, but in a studio decorated with hexagonal wall patterns resembling those on the exterior walls of S along with a small imitation of Space Park's two outdoor pools.
** 30 minutes in (after recovering from the attack), Spock returns to the S patio alone, but is again attacked by a man whom he subdues.
** 31 minutes in, establishing shots of the pool viewed from R2's roof, and E2 viewed from the lower-level patio of S.
* April 28, 1967 Successful launch of the fourth pair of TRW-built Vela satellites.[
* July 28, 1967 Successful launch of the TRW-built OGO-4.][
* 1967 TRW began designing, constructing, and testing a ]powertrain
In a motor vehicle, the powertrain comprises the main components that generate engine power, power and deliver that power to the road surface, water, or air. This includes the internal combustion engine, engine, transmission (mechanics), trans ...
for a hybrid car
A hybrid vehicle is one that uses two or more distinct types of power, such as submarines that use diesel when surfaced and batteries when submerged. Other means to store energy include pressurized fluid in hydraulic hybrids.
Hybrid powertrain ...
using an electromechanical
Electromechanics combine processes and procedures drawn from electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. Electromechanics focus on the interaction of electrical and mechanical systems as a whole and how the two systems interact with each ...
transmission built in M1, and a dynamometer
A dynamometer or "dyno" is a device for simultaneously measuring the torque and rotational speed ( RPM) of an engine, motor or other rotating prime mover so that its instantaneous power may be calculated, and usually displayed by the dyna ...
in Bldg. 67.
* January 8, 1968 TRW filed a patent on the coaxial injector used in the LEMDE to provide combustion stability over a wide range of thrust.
* March 4, 1968 Successful launch of the TRW-built OGO-5.[
* May 16, 1968 ]Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925 – June 6, 1968), also known as RFK, was an American politician and lawyer. He served as the 64th United States attorney general from January 1961 to September 1964, and as a U.S. senator from New Yo ...
gave a presidential-campaign speech in the E1/R1/R2/R3 plaza three weeks before he was assassinated.
* September 10, 1968 Vice President
A vice president or vice-president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vi ...
Hubert Humphrey
Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. (May 27, 1911 – January 13, 1978) was an American politician who served from 1965 to 1969 as the 38th vice president of the United States. He twice served in the United States Senate, representing Minnesota from 19 ...
gave a presidential-campaign speech at Space Park.[
* March 3, 1969 ]Space and Missile Systems Organization
Space Systems Command (SSC) is the United States Space Force's research and development, space development, Military acquisition, acquisition, space launch, launch, and Military logistics, logistics field command. It is headquartered at Los An ...
awarded contract to TRW for DSCS II satellites.
* March 17, 1969 TRW filed a patent for the powertrain of a hybrid car.
* 1969 Greg Morris
Francis Gregory Alan Morris (September 27, 1933 – August 27, 1996) was an American actor. He was best known for portraying Barney Collier on the television series '' Mission: Impossible'' and Lieutenant David Nelson on ''Vega$''.
Early lif ...
toured Space Park, possibly related to using it as a filming location for '' Mission: Impossible''.
* May 22, 1969 Apollo 10
Apollo 10 (May 18–26, 1969) was the fourth human spaceflight in the United States' Apollo program and the second to orbit the Moon. NASA, the mission's operator, described it as a "dress rehearsal" for the first Moon landing (Apollo 11, two ...
successfully used TRW's LEMDE for a controlled descent toward the Moon
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It Orbit of the Moon, orbits around Earth at Lunar distance, an average distance of (; about 30 times Earth diameter, Earth's diameter). The Moon rotation, rotates, with a rotation period (lunar ...
, bringing humans to 8.4 nautical miles (15.6 km) from its surface.[
* May 23, 1969 Successful launch of the fifth pair of TRW-built Vela satellites.][
* June 5, 1969 Successful launch of the TRW-built OGO-6.][
* July 20, 1969 ]Apollo 11
Apollo 11 was a spaceflight conducted from July 16 to 24, 1969, by the United States and launched by NASA. It marked the first time that humans Moon landing, landed on the Moon. Commander Neil Armstrong and Lunar Module pilot Buzz Aldrin l ...
successfully landed the first humans on the Moon using TRW's LEMDE.[
* 1969 ]Alan Shepard
Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr. (November 18, 1923 – July 21, 1998) was an American astronaut. In 1961, he became the second person and the first American to travel into space and, in 1971, he became the List of Apollo astronauts#Apollo astr ...
, America's first astronaut on Mercury-Redstone 3
Mercury-Redstone 3, or ''Freedom 7'', was the first United States human spaceflight, on May 5, 1961, piloted by astronaut Alan Shepard. It was the first crewed flight of Project Mercury. The project had the ultimate objective of putting an astr ...
in 1961 and Apollo 14
Apollo 14 (January 31February 9, 1971) was the eighth crewed mission in the United States Apollo program, the third to Moon landing, land on the Moon, and the first to land in the Geology of the Moon#Highlands, lunar highlands. It was the las ...
commander in 1971, honored Space Park employees with Silver Snoopy award
The Silver Snoopy award is a special honor awarded to NASA employees and contractors for outstanding achievements related to human flight safety or mission success. The award certificate states that it is "In Appreciation" "For professionalism, d ...
s in Bldg. M2.
* November 19, 1969 Apollo 12
Apollo 12 (November 14–24, 1969) was the sixth crewed flight in the United States Apollo program and the second to land on the Moon. It was launched on November 14, 1969, by NASA from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Commander Charles ...
successfully landed on the Moon using TRW's LEMDE.[
]
1970s
* February 1970 NASA awarded contract to TRW for ''Pioneer 10
''Pioneer 10'' (originally designated Pioneer F) is a NASA space probe launched in 1972 that completed the first mission to the planet Jupiter. ''Pioneer 10'' became the first of five artificial objects to achieve the escape velocity needed ...
'' to explore Jupiter
Jupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the List of Solar System objects by size, largest in the Solar System. It is a gas giant with a Jupiter mass, mass more than 2.5 times that of all the other planets in the Solar System combined a ...
, and ''Pioneer 11
''Pioneer 11'' (also known as ''Pioneer G'') is a NASA robotic space probe launched on April 5, 1973, to study the asteroid belt, the environment around Jupiter and Saturn, the solar wind, and cosmic rays. It was the first probe to Exploration ...
'' as a backup.
* April 8, 1970 Successful launch of the final (sixth) pair of TRW-built Vela satellites, completing the system that provided scientific data on natural sources of space radiation.[
* April 17, 1970 ]Apollo 13
Apollo 13 (April 1117, 1970) was the seventh crewed mission in the Apollo program, Apollo space program and would have been the third Moon landing. The craft was launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 11, 1970, but the landing was abort ...
used TRW's LEMDE to safely return its crew to Earth after aborting its lunar-landing mission.[
* May 6, 1970 Apollo 13's crew (]Jim Lovell
James Arthur Lovell Jr. ( ; born March 25, 1928) is an American retired astronaut, naval aviator, test pilot and mechanical engineer. In 1968, as command module pilot of Apollo 8, he became, with Frank Borman and William Anders, one of the fi ...
, Jack Swigert
John Leonard Swigert Jr. (August 30, 1931 – December 27, 1982) was an American NASA astronaut, test pilot, mechanical engineer, aerospace engineer, United States Air Force pilot, and politician. In April 1970, as command module pilot of A ...
, and Fred Haise
Fred Wallace Haise Jr. ( ; born November 14, 1933) is an American former NASA astronaut, engineer, fighter pilot with the United States Marine Corps Aviation, U.S. Marine Corps and United States Air Force, U.S. Air Force, and a test pilot. He ...
) visited Space Park, telling an assembly of TRW employees that they should change the company's LEMDE advertising slogan from "The last 10 miles are on us" to "The last 300,000 miles are on us".
* November 6, 1970 Successful launch of the first DSP spacecraft built by TRW.
* February 5, 1971 Apollo 14
Apollo 14 (January 31February 9, 1971) was the eighth crewed mission in the United States Apollo program, the third to Moon landing, land on the Moon, and the first to land in the Geology of the Moon#Highlands, lunar highlands. It was the las ...
successfully landed on the Moon using TRW's LEMDE.[
* March 2, 1971 TRW was granted a patent for the powertrain of a hybrid car.][
* June 1971 OGO data acquisition period concluded, resulting in a record-breaking volume of scientific data.][
* July 30, 1971 ]Apollo 15
Apollo 15 (July 26August 7, 1971) was the ninth crewed mission in the Apollo program and the fourth Moon landing. It was the first List of Apollo missions#Alphabetical mission types, J mission, with a longer stay on the Moon and a greate ...
successfully landed on the Moon using TRW's LEMDE.[
* November 1, 1971 TRW filed a patent on a coaxial-pintle reactant injector to provide combustion stability in burners over a wide range of flow conditions.]
* November 2, 1971 Successful launch of the first pair of TRW-built DSCS II satellites, the first operational military communications system to occupy a geosynchronous orbit
A geosynchronous orbit (sometimes abbreviated GSO) is an Earth-centered orbit with an orbital period that matches Earth's rotation on its axis, 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds (one sidereal day). The synchronization of rotation and orbital ...
.[
]
* 1971 TRW won contract to build three High Energy Astronomy Observatory (HEAO) spacecraft for X-ray, Gamma-Ray astronomy, and Cosmic-Ray investigations.
* February 1972 TRW demonstrated its hybrid car would meet emission goals for 1975/76 set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent agency of the United States government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it began operation on De ...
.[
* March 2, 1972 Successful launch of the TRW-built ''Pioneer 10'', the world’s first ]nuclear-powered
Nuclear power is the use of nuclear reactions to produce electricity. Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced b ...
deep-space probe.
* April 21, 1972 Apollo 16
Apollo 16 (April 1627, 1972) was the tenth human spaceflight, crewed mission in the United States Apollo program, Apollo space program, administered by NASA, and the fifth and penultimate to Moon landing, land on the Moon. It was the second o ...
successfully landed on the Moon using TRW's LEMDE.[
* October 24, 1972 TRW was granted a patent for Gerard Elverum's rocket-engine injector.][
* December 11, 1972 ]Apollo 17
Apollo 17 (December 7–19, 1972) was the eleventh and final mission of NASA's Apollo program, the sixth and most recent time humans have set foot on the Moon. Commander Gene Cernan and Lunar Module Pilot Harrison Schmitt walked on the Moon, ...
successfully landed on the Moon using TRW's LEMDE.[
* February 1973 TRW's ''Pioneer 10'' became the first spacecraft to successfully traverse the ]asteroid belt
The asteroid belt is a torus-shaped region in the Solar System, centered on the Sun and roughly spanning the space between the orbits of the planets Jupiter and Mars. It contains a great many solid, irregularly shaped bodies called asteroids ...
between Mars
Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun. It is also known as the "Red Planet", because of its orange-red appearance. Mars is a desert-like rocky planet with a tenuous carbon dioxide () atmosphere. At the average surface level the atmosph ...
and Jupiter.[
* April 5, 1973 Successful launch of the TRW-built ''Pioneer 11'' to fly past ]Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest in the Solar System, after Jupiter. It is a gas giant, with an average radius of about 9 times that of Earth. It has an eighth the average density of Earth, but is over 95 tim ...
.
* May 15, 1973 TRW was granted a continuation-in-part to their patent for the powertrain of a hybrid car.
* November 27, 1973 President Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as the 36th vice president under P ...
sent congratulatory letter to TRW VP/GM (Dr. G.E. Solomon) after Pioneer 10 successfully completed Jupiter mission.
* July 1976 TRW's biological testing devices landed on Mars and began seeking life.
* August 12, 1977 Successful launch of the TRW-built HEAO-1 to record images of astronomical objects that emit high-energy particles.
* November 1977 TRW published R.J. Lano's N2 chart, ''"an implementation tool and methodology for the tabulation, definition, analysis and description of functional interactions and interfaces."''
* November 13, 1978 Successful launch of the TRW-built Einstein Observatory (HEAO-2), the first with a fully imaging focusing X-ray telescope with a sensitivity several hundred times greater than previously achieved.
* July 24, 1979 Ray Bradbury
Ray Douglas Bradbury ( ; August 22, 1920June 5, 2012) was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of genres, including fantasy, science fiction, Horror fiction, horr ...
gave a lecture
A lecture (from ) is an oral presentation intended to present information or teach people about a particular subject, for example by a university or college teacher. Lectures are used to convey critical information, history, background, theo ...
in bldg. S titled "1984 will Never Arrive".
* September 20, 1979 Successful launch of the TRW-built HEAO-3
The last of NASA, NASA's three HEAO Program, High Energy Astronomy Observatories, HEAO 3 was launched 20 September 1979 on an Atlas-Centaur launch vehicle, into a nearly circular, 43.6 degree inclination low Earth orbit with an initial perigeum o ...
to complete the program’s mission of probing the electromagnetic spectrum.
1980s
* June 10, 1980 TRW was granted a patent for Gerard Elverum's coaxial-pintle reactant injector for burners (i.e., combustion apparatus).[
* February 1983 TRW won contract to build ]Compton Gamma Ray Observatory
The Compton Gamma Ray Observatory (CGRO) was a space observatory detecting photons with photon energy, energies from 20 kElectronvolt#Properties, eV to 30 GeV, in Earth orbit from 1991 to 2000. The observatory featured four main tel ...
(CGRO) with four astrophysics experiments.
* April 4, 1983 STS-6
STS-6 was the sixth NASA Space Shuttle mission and the maiden flight of the . Launched from Kennedy Space Center on April 4, 1983, the mission deployed the first Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, TDRS-1, into orbit, before landing at Edwards ...
, the maiden flight of Space Shuttle ''Challenger'', successfully launched the first of seven TRW-built Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System
The U.S. Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS, pronounced "T-driss") is a network of American communications satellites (each called a tracking and data relay satellite, TDRS) and ground stations used by NASA for space communications. ...
(TDRS) spacecraft.
* June 14, 1983 TRW's ''Pioneer 10'' became the first spacecraft to leave the Solar System.
* January 28, 1986 Along with the lives of all seven astronauts, STS-51-L
STS-51-L was the disastrous 25th mission of NASA's Space Shuttle program and the final flight of Space Shuttle ''Challenger''.
It was planned as the first Teacher in Space Project flight in addition to observing Halley's Comet for six day ...
lost the second TRW-built TDRS spacecraft.[
* May 29, 1986 NASA announced plans to buy a backup TDRS to replace the one lost in the Space Shuttle ''Challenger'' disaster.
* May 5, 1987 Dedication of memorial at ]flagpole
A flagpole, flagmast, flagstaff, or staff is a pole designed to support a flag. If it is taller than can be easily reached to raise the flag, a cord is used, looping around a pulley at the top of the pole with the ends tied at the bottom. The fla ...
west of E2, ''"The men and women of TRW honor the Space Shuttle Challenger crew members who died in service to their nation."''
* March 26, 1988 Vice President George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker BushBefore the outcome of the 2000 United States presidential election, he was usually referred to simply as "George Bush" but became more commonly known as "George H. W. Bush", "Bush Senior," "Bush 41," and even "Bush th ...
campaigned at Space Park for an election he won later that year, subsequently becoming the 41st President of the United States
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...
.
* April 12, 1988 R7A was dedicated as terrestrial headquarters for assembly, test, and integration of the 17-ton CGRO satellite.[
* November 21, 1988 ''Mettler Drive'' was dedicated upon his retirement after 33 years of company service.
]
1990s
* 1990 TRW opened a Center for Automotive Technology to manage projects such as airbag
An airbag is a vehicle occupant-restraint system using a bag designed to inflate in milliseconds during a collision and then deflate afterwards. It consists of an airbag cushion, a flexible fabric bag, an inflation module, and an impact sensor. ...
inflators, automotive radar
Radar is a system that uses radio waves to determine the distance ('' ranging''), direction ( azimuth and elevation angles), and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It is a radiodetermination method used to detect and track ...
and electronic crash sensors.
* April 5, 1991 Successful launch of the TRW-built CGRO spacecraft by the Space Shuttle ''Atlantis''.
* June 22, 1993 Vice President Al Gore
Albert Arnold Gore Jr. (born March 31, 1948) is an American former politician, businessman, and environmentalist who served as the 45th vice president of the United States from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. He previously served as ...
toured Space Park to learn about its defense conversion activities.
* February 7, 1994 Successful launch of the first TRW-built Milstar
Milstar (Military Strategic and Tactical Relay) is a constellation of military communications satellites in geosynchronous orbit, which are operated by the United States Space Force, and provide secure and jam-resistant worldwide communications ...
payload with autonomous processing, routing and network management capabilities, assuring communications under any level of military conflict.
* June 1994 TRW began jointly developing Formosat-1
Formosat-1 (, formerly known as ROCSAT-1) was an Earth observation satellite operated by the National Space Program Office (NSPO; now the Taiwan Space Agency) of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to conduct observations of the ionosphere and oceans. ...
with Taiwan's National Space Organization.
* July 13, 1995 Space Shuttle ''Discovery'' (STS-70
STS-70 was the 21st flight of the Space Shuttle Space Shuttle Discovery, ''Discovery'', and the last of 7 shuttle missions to carry a Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS). This was the first shuttle mission controlled from the new mission con ...
) successfully launched the final (seventh) TRW-built TDRS spacecraft.[
* May 1997 TRW delivered Formosat-1, ]Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
's first spacecraft, a satellite built for space experiments in physics
Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...
, oceanography
Oceanography (), also known as oceanology, sea science, ocean science, and marine science, is the scientific study of the ocean, including its physics, chemistry, biology, and geology.
It is an Earth science, which covers a wide range of to ...
and communications
Communication is commonly defined as the transmission of information. Its precise definition is disputed and there are disagreements about whether Intention, unintentional or failed transmissions are included and whether communication not onl ...
.
* February 1998 Astronauts Michel Tognini
Michel Ange-Charles Tognini (born 30 September 1949 in Vincennes, France) is a French test pilot, engineer, brigadier general in the French Air Force, and a former CNES and ESA astronaut who served from 1 January 2005 to 1 November 2011 as hea ...
and Eileen Collins
Eileen Marie Collins (born 19 November 1956) is an American retired NASA astronaut and Air Force colonel. A flight instructor and test pilot, Collins was the first woman to pilot the Space Shuttle and the first to command a Space Shuttle missio ...
(the first woman pilot on STS-63
STS-63 was the second mission of the U.S.-Russian Shuttle–Mir program and the 20th flight of . Dubbed the "Near-Mir" mission, it achieved the first rendezvous between an American Space Shuttle and Russia's space station, ''Mir''. Discovery li ...
) inspected the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF, later renamed to Chandra) in bldg. TF2.
* 1998 Completion of the final (23rd) DSP spacecraft built by TRW (not launched till 2007).[
* January 14, 1999 TRW held ceremony after completing tests of the Chandra X-ray Observatory (''the world's most powerful ]X-ray telescope
An X-ray telescope (XRT) is a telescope that is designed to observe remote objects in the X-ray spectrum. X-rays are absorbed by the Earth's atmosphere, so instruments to detect X-rays must be taken to high altitude by balloons, sounding rockets ...
'') prior to shipping it for launch aboard Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' (STS-93
STS-93 in 1999 marked the 95th launch of the Space Shuttle, the 26th launch of Space Shuttle Columbia, ''Columbia'', and the 21st night launch of a Space Shuttle. Eileen Collins became the first female shuttle Commander on this flight. Its prima ...
).
* December 1999 TRW set a new integrated circuit
An integrated circuit (IC), also known as a microchip or simply chip, is a set of electronic circuits, consisting of various electronic components (such as transistors, resistors, and capacitors) and their interconnections. These components a ...
speed record (69 GHz
The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or Cycle per second, cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in ter ...
) to increase volumes of Internet
The Internet (or internet) is the Global network, global system of interconnected computer networks that uses the Internet protocol suite (TCP/IP) to communicate between networks and devices. It is a internetworking, network of networks ...
traffic.
2000s
* May 4, 2002 Successful launch of the TRW-built Aqua
Aqua is the Latin word for water. As such, it is often used in many words which relate to water, such as aquatic life. In English, it may also refer to:
Arts
* Aqua (color), a greenish-blue color
Business
* Aqua (Chicago), an 82-story resid ...
(based on TRW's modular, standardized AB1200 common spacecraft bus) as part of the Earth Observing System (EOS) to study Earth's water cycle using instruments such as the Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System
Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) is an NASA climatological experiment from Earth orbit. The CERES are scientific satellite instruments, part of NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS), designed to measure solar-reflected and Eart ...
(also built at Space Park).
* September 11, 2002 NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the federal government of the United States, US federal government responsible for the United States ...
selected TRW as the prime contractor for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) (estimating it would launch in 2010).
* November 4, 2002 NGC filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government, created in the aftermath of the Wall Street crash of 1929. Its primary purpose is to enforce laws against market m ...
to acquire TRW.
* December 11, 2002 Northrop Grumman completed its merger with and into TRW.
* December 16, 2002 "Day One" event held at Space Park to celebrate Northrop Grumman's acquisition of TRW.
* November 25, 2003 Grand opening of STPC (later renamed to APC) attended by U.S. Representative
The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...
for Space Park's district, Jane Harman
Jane Margaret Harman (née Lakes, June 28, 1945) is an American former politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 1993 to 1999 and again from 2001 to 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, she was the ranking member on the ...
.
* July 15, 2004 Successful launch of the NGC-built Aura as part of EOS to study how Earth's atmosphere supports diversified life, becoming the first satellite to gauge the concentration and movement of gases in the troposphere
The troposphere is the lowest layer of the atmosphere of Earth. It contains 80% of the total mass of the Atmosphere, planetary atmosphere and 99% of the total mass of water vapor and aerosols, and is where most weather phenomena occur. From the ...
.
* February 22, 2005 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder, known for his roles in high-profile action films. Governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...
toured Space Park and gave a speech in the STPC.
* March 18, 2009 NGC produced the strongest laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word ''laser'' originated as an acronym for light amplification by stimulated emission of radi ...
powered by an electric current
An electric current is a flow of charged particles, such as electrons or ions, moving through an electrical conductor or space. It is defined as the net rate of flow of electric charge through a surface. The moving particles are called charge c ...
(105 kW for the Joint High Power Solid State Laser program).
2010s
* December 14, 2011 The AIAA
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is a professional society for the field of aerospace engineering. The AIAA is the U.S. representative on the International Astronautical Federation and the International Council of ...
designated Space Park a historic aerospace site, where many technically challenging satellites, rocket engine
A rocket engine is a reaction engine, producing thrust in accordance with Newton's third law by ejecting reaction mass rearward, usually a high-speed Jet (fluid), jet of high-temperature gas produced by the combustion of rocket propellants stor ...
s, and astronomical observatories
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysics, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed.
Th ...
have been designed and built.[
* February 2, 2018 The ]optical telescope
An optical telescope gathers and focus (optics), focuses light mainly from the visible spectrum, visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum, to create a magnification, magnified image for direct visual inspection, to make a photograph, or to co ...
and integrated science instrument module of JWST arrived at Space Park.
* July 11, 2019 Final thermal-vacuum test completed in bldg. M4 for JWST to ensure its electronic functionality in space.
2020s
* October 6, 2020 Acoustic and sine vibration
Vibration () is a mechanical phenomenon whereby oscillations occur about an equilibrium point. Vibration may be deterministic if the oscillations can be characterised precisely (e.g. the periodic motion of a pendulum), or random if the os ...
environmental tests completed for JWST to simulate its launch conditions.
* March 5, 2021 Nichelle Nichols
Nichelle Nichols ( ; born Grace Dell Nichols; December 28, 1932 – July 30, 2022) was an American actress, singer and dancer whose portrayal of Uhura in ''Star Trek'' and its film sequels was groundbreaking for African American actresses on A ...
(who portrayed Lieutenant Nyota Uhura
Nyota Uhura (), or simply Uhura, is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise. In the original television series, the character was portrayed by Nichelle Nichols, who reprised the role for the first six ''Star Trek'' feature films. A ...
in the original ''Star Trek'' TV show) filmed scenes in Bldg. D1 for ''Renegades: Ominara'' proof of concept
A proof of concept (POC or PoC), also known as proof of principle, is an inchoate realization of a certain idea or method in order to demonstrate its feasibility or viability. A proof of concept is usually small and may or may not be complete ...
TV pilot.
* September 2021 Final testing in bldg. M8 completed successfully for JWST.
* December 25, 2021 Successful launch of JWST.
* January 24, 2022 JWST successfully arrived at Lagrange point L2 about 1.5 million kilometers from Earth.[
* February 2022 JWST began transmitting images from L2.][
* September 12, 2024 Presentation and discussion of '']A Beautiful Planet
A Beautiful Planet is an IMAX Entertainment documentary produced in collaboration with NASA and filmed aboard the International Space Station by astronaut crews. Narrated by Jennifer Lawrence, it was produced and directed by Toni Myers.
The f ...
'' film in Bldg. E2 by STS-130
STS-130 ( ISS assembly flight 20A) was a NASA Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS). 's primary payloads were the ''Tranquility'' module and the ''Cupola'', a robotic control station with six windows around its sides and ...
pilot and Expedition 43
Expedition 43 was the 43rd expedition to the International Space Station. It commenced on 11 March 2015 with the undocking of Soyuz TMA-14M, returning the crew of Expedition 42 to Earth and ended with the departure of Soyuz TMA-15M on 11 June 2 ...
commander, Terry W. Virts
Terry Wayne Virts Jr. (born December 1, 1967) is a retired NASA astronaut, International Space Station commander, and colonel in the United States Air Force. Virts is a member of the Democratic Party.
Background and education
Virts was born ...
.
* October 18, 2024 NGC won ''Coolest Thing Made in California'' contest for its record-setting 1 THz microelectronics
Microelectronics is a subfield of electronics. As the name suggests, microelectronics relates to the study and manufacture (or microfabrication) of very small electronic designs and components. Usually, but not always, this means micrometre ...
chip manufactured in Bldg. D1.
Famous employees
* Christopher John Boyce: TRW clerk from July 29, 1974, to December 17, 1976 given access to classified documents in bldg. M4 beginning in March 1975; subsequently convicted of selling United States secrets to the Soviet Union
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
, dramatized in a 1985 film based on the 1979 book, ''The Falcon and the Snowman
''The Falcon and the Snowman'' is a 1985 American spy drama film directed by John Schlesinger. The screenplay by Steven Zaillian is based on the 1979 book ''The Falcon and the Snowman: A True Story of Friendship and Espionage'' by Robert L ...
''
* Chuck Missler
Charles W. Missler (May 28, 1934 – May 1, 2018) was an American author, evangelical Christian, Bible teacher, engineer, and businessman.
Business career
Missler graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1956 and received a Master's degree in ...
: Ramo-Wooldridge systems engineer and STL senior analyst, subsequently Bible
The Bible is a collection of religious texts that are central to Christianity and Judaism, and esteemed in other Abrahamic religions such as Islam. The Bible is an anthology (a compilation of texts of a variety of forms) originally writt ...
teacher and co-founder of ''Koinonia House''
* Daniel Goldin
Daniel Saul Goldin (born July 23, 1940) served as the 9th and longest-tenured Administrator of NASA from April 1, 1992, to November 17, 2001. He was appointed by President George H. W. Bush and also served under Presidents Bill Clinton and Georg ...
: TRW vice president and general manager from 1967 to 1992, subsequently serving as NASA’s longest-tenured Administrator from 1992 to 2001 reporting to three U.S. Presidents
* Dennis Tito
Dennis Anthony Tito (born August 8, 1940) is an American engineer and entrepreneur. During mid-2001, he became the first space tourism, space tourist to fund his own visit to space, when he spent nearly eight days in orbit as a crew member of IS ...
: TRW employee during the late 1960s, subsequently the first self-funded space tourist
Space tourism is human space travel for recreational purposes. There are several different types of space tourism, including orbital, suborbital and lunar space tourism. Tourists are motivated by the possibility of viewing Earth from space, ...
* Edward Gibson
Edward George Gibson (born November 8, 1936) is a former NASA astronaut, aviator, pilot, engineer, and physicist.
Before becoming an astronaut, Gibson graduated from the University of Rochester and the California Institute of Technology. He bec ...
: Astronaut on Skylab 4
Skylab 4 (also SL-4 and SLM-3) was the third crewed Skylab mission and placed the third and final human spaceflight, crew aboard the first American space station.
The mission began on November 16, 1973, with the launch of Gerald P. Carr, Edwar ...
for a record time in space of 84 days, subsequently project manager of TRW's studies for Space Station Freedom
Space Station ''Freedom'' was a NASA-led multi-national project proposed in the 1980s to construct a permanently crewed space station in low Earth orbit. Despite initial approval by President Ronald Reagan and a public announcement in the 1984 ...
.
* Garrett Reisman
Garrett Erin Reisman (; born February 10, 1968) is an American engineer and former NASA astronaut. He was a backup crew member for Expedition 15 and joined Expedition 16 aboard the International Space Station for a short time before becoming a mem ...
: TRW spacecraft guidance navigation and control engineer from 1996 to 1998 who designed the thruster-based attitude control system for the Aqua satellite (launched May 4, 2002), subsequently astronaut on STS-123
STS-123 was a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station (ISS) which was flown by Space Shuttle Endeavour, Space Shuttle ''Endeavour''. STS-123 was the 1J/A Assembly of the International Space Station, ISS assembly mission. The orig ...
, spending 3 months on the International Space Station
The International Space Station (ISS) is a large space station that was Assembly of the International Space Station, assembled and is maintained in low Earth orbit by a collaboration of five space agencies and their contractors: NASA (United ...
(returning on STS-124
STS-124 was the 35th mission of Space Shuttle ''Discovery''. It went to the International Space Station on this mission. ''Discovery'' launched on May 31, 2008, at 17:02 EDT, moved from an earlier scheduled launch date of May 25, 2008, and land ...
)
* Henry Nicholas
Henry Thompson Nicholas III (born October 8, 1959) is an American businessman who is a co-founder of Broadcom Corporation, and former co-chairman of its board, president, and chief executive officer (CEO) of the company. , Nicholas is the 99th ...
: TRW engineer, subsequently co-founder of Broadcom Corporation
Broadcom Corporation was an American fabless manufacturing, fabless semiconductor company that made products for the wireless and broadband communication industry. It was acquired by Avago Technologies for $37billion in 2016 and operates as a ...
* Henry Samueli
Henry Samueli (born September 20, 1954) is an American businessman and engineer. He is a co-founder of Broadcom Corporation, owner of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL), and a prominent philanthropist in the Orange County, C ...
: TRW engineer and manager, subsequently co-founder of Broadcom Corporation and co-owner of Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confere ...
* James L. Buie: TRW engineer who invented TTL circuitry in the early 1960s (patented November 1, 1966),[ established TRW's Microelectronics Center in 1963, and its LSI (large-scale integration) Products Division in 1977 before retiring in 1983
* ]Jerry Buss
Gerald Hatten Buss (January 27, 1933 – February 18, 2013) was an American businessman, investor, chemist, and philanthropist. He was the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning 10 l ...
: TRW chemist, subsequently majority owner of Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Pacific Division (NBA), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NBA ...
* Jimmy Doolittle
James Harold Doolittle (December 14, 1896 – September 27, 1993) was an American military general and aviation pioneer who received the Medal of Honor for his raid on Japan during World War II, known as the Doolittle Raid in his honor. He ma ...
: STL's board chairman, first to fly across the United States in less than a day (22 hours in 1922), first to fly ''blind'' (completely by instruments), and leader of the 1942 Tokyo air raid; commemorated by Doolittle Drive (connecting Space Park Drive to Manhattan Beach Boulevard)
* Ruben F. Mettler: TRW's president and chief executive officer from 1969 to 1977; chairman and chief executive officer from 1977 to 1988; commemorated by Mettler Drive (connecting Space Park Drive to Marine Avenue)
* Simon Ramo
Simon "Si" Ramo (May 7, 1913 – June 27, 2016) was an American engineer, businessman, and author. He led development of microwave and missile technology and is sometimes known as the father of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). He ...
: TRW's co-founder, popularly known as the father of the intercontinental ballistic missile
An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a ballistic missile with a range (aeronautics), range greater than , primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery (delivering one or more Thermonuclear weapon, thermonuclear warheads). Conven ...
; commemorated by Simon Ramo Drive (central Space Park entrance from Marine Avenue)
* Theodore Harold Maiman: Invented the laser in 1960, subsequently set up a new division for communications and digital signal processing as Vice President of Advanced Technology at TRW from 1976 to 1983
* Tom Mueller
Thomas John Mueller is an American aerospace engineer and rocket engine designer. He was employee No.1 of SpaceX and is the founder and now CEO of Impulse Space.
Mueller is best known for his engineering work on the Merlin, Draco, Super Draco ...
: TRW propulsion engineer, subsequently founding employee of SpaceX
Space Exploration Technologies Corp., commonly referred to as SpaceX, is an America, American space technology company headquartered at the SpaceX Starbase, Starbase development site in Starbase, Texas. Since its founding in 2002, the compa ...
Note: Dean Wooldridge
Dean Everett Wooldridge (May 30, 1913 in Chickasha, Oklahoma – September 20, 2006 in Santa Barbara, California) was a prominent engineer in the aerospace industry.Stenbit JP (2008) ''Dean E Wooldridge'', Memorial Tributes: National Academy of En ...
, TRW's co-founder and first president, announced his resignation around the time STL employees began moving to Space Park; so it is unlikely that he ever worked at this location.
Despite this list consisting exclusively of men, actress Elaine Joyce
Elaine Joyce (born Elaine Joyce Pinchot) is an American actress.
Early life and education
Elaine Joyce Pinchot was born in Kansas City, Missouri, of Hungarian ancestry, the daughter of Iliclina (née Nagy) and Frank Pinchot.
Career
She made ...
chose Space Park as the place to find a woman engineer while researching a bit part
In acting, a bit part is a role in which there is direct interaction with the principal actors and no more than five lines of dialogue, often referred to as a five-or-less or under-five in the United States, or under sixes in British televisio ...
for ''Hart to Hart
''Hart to Hart'' is an American mystery television series that premiered on August 25, 1979, on ABC. The show stars Robert Wagner and Stefanie Powers as Jonathan and Jennifer Hart, respectively, a wealthy couple who lead a glamorous jetset ...
'' in 1980.
See also
* Aviation High School (California)
Aviation High School (Aviation, AHS, Avi-Hi) was a high school located in Redondo Beach, California that was in operation from 1957 to 1982. The school occupied 40 acres at the northeast corner of Manhattan Beach Boulevard and Aviation Boulevard ...
describes the history of 40 acres adjacent to Space Park's southwest boundary
References
Further reading
* ''Space Data''
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* {{cite book
, isbn= 978-1532600364
, date= June 27, 2016
, first= Timothy
, last= Jacobson
, publication-place= Eugene, Oregon
, publisher= Wipf and Stock
, title= TRW 1901–2001: A Tradition of Innovation
External links
AC Martin's Portfolio for TRW System's, Inc. Research, Development & Manufacturing Complex
(California based architecture, planning, interior architecture and research firm)
Aramark's cafeteria for Northrop Grumman at Space Park in Redondo Beach
(This lower-level section of bldg. S is open for authorized visitors during breakfast and lunch hours.)
K-12 School Tours of Space Park led by Northrop Grumman
MBS (Manhattan Beach Studios) Media Campus
The Retirees Association: Connecting Retirees from TRW and Northrop Grumman
(This organization maintains an archive of employee newsletters referenced in this article.)
W6TRW Amateur Radio Club
(Non-profit formed in 1960s at Space Park by TRW employees with station in Bldg. S; has been holding monthly swap meet
A flea market (or swap meet) is a type of street market that provides space for vendors to sell Used good, previously owned (secondhand) goods. This type of market is often seasonal. However, in recent years there has been the development of ...
in R2 parking lot for 4 decades)
Space technology research institutes
Federally Funded Research and Development Centers
Laboratories in California
Research institutes in California
Redondo Beach, California
Buildings and structures in Los Angeles County, California
1961 establishments in California
20th century in Los Angeles
21st century in Los Angeles
Science and technology in Greater Los Angeles