Note that the ARPA and DARPA histories cover a bunch of space-related subjects. Surprisingly, some things you know as NASA projects started out in ARPA (or passed through ARPA).
In May 1962, MSFC awarded three contracts for work on human planetary missions. Known as Project EMPIRE, these studies addressed the human exploration of Mars and Venus. Each company that took part was awarded a $250,000 contract for a 6-month study incorporating 6,000 work-hours. The three EMPIRE contractors were Ford’s Aeronutronic Division, General Dynamics/Astronautics, and the Lockheed Missiles and Space Company. All studies were based upon the assumption that the Saturn V vehicle being developed for Apollo could be used to launch Mars missions to Earth orbit and that nuclear propulsion systems, also in the development stage at the time, would be available for the interplanetary portion of the journey.
EMPIRE: A Study of Early Manned Interplanetary Expeditions, NASA Contractor Report 51709, Aeronutronic Division, Ford Motor Company, 21 December 1962."The EMPIRE Dual Planet Flyby Mission," Franklin P. Dixon, Aeronutronic Division, Philco Corporation; paper presented in Palo Alto, California, at the Engineering Problems of Manned Interplanetary Exploration conference, 30 September-1 October 1963."EMPIRE: Early Manned Planetary-Interplanetary Roundtrip Expeditions Part I: Aeronutronic and General Dynamics Studies," Frederick I. Ordway III, Mitchell R. Sharpe, and Ronald C. Wakeford, Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, May 1993, pp. 179-190.Summary Technical Report, Report No. GD | C AOK 65-002-1, NASA Contract NAS8-11327, June 8, 1965, p. 1-4,13, 37, 56, 60 (Located in the JSC History Collection, JSC Files: Manned Mars Mission Studies, Box 4).95 General Dynamics/Convair, Manned Mars and Venus Exploration Study, Final Report Volume 1:North American Aviation, Space and Information Systems Division, Manned Mars and/or Venus Flyby Vehicle Systems Study, volume 1: Summary, SID 65-761-1, NASA Contract NAS9-3499, June 1965, p. 1-7 (Located in the JSC History Collection, JSC Files: Manned Mars Mission Studies, Box 4). Representatives from MSC, MSFC, and NASA Headquarters were involved in the technical panel for this study. C. Howard Robins, Memorandum: “Technical Management Panel for Mars-Venus Flyby Vehicle Systems Study,” March 3, 1964; W. E. Stoney, Jr., “Participation by Electromagnetic Systems Branch in the Technical Management of a Contracted Study of mars and/or Venus Flyby Vehicle Systems,” March 10, 1964; W. E. Stoney, Jr., “MSFC Participation in Technical Management of Mars-Venus Flyby Vehicle Systems Study,” April 3, 1964; and W. E. Stoney, Jr.,
19650082475,"Empire. a study of early manned interplanetary missions final report, may 26 - nov. 25, 1962",1962,,19670091995,Study of early manned interplanetary missions /empire/,1962,,19640048223,A study of manned interplanetary missions /empire follow-on/ condensed summary report,1964,,19640048224,A study of early manned interplanetary missions /empire follow-on/. volume ii- summary report,1964,,19640000998,The empire dual planet flyby mission,1963,,19650058235,A study of early manned interplanetary missions /empire follow-on/,1964,,19680093531,Empire project phase 4. Electro magnetic performance information research Final report,1968,,19690085823,Empire electromagnetic performance information research,1969,,
Krafft Arnold Ehricke Papers Portions of this collection are digitizedhttps://sova.si.edu/record/NASM.2003.0025?t=C&q=National+Association+of+American+Balloon+Corps+Veterans&i=7EMPIRE Follow-On Final Report, Vol. I – Condensed Summary Report (GDA report AOK 64-006, 1 Jan 1964)EMPIRE Follow-On Final [Third] Presentation (GDA report AOK 64-002, 28 Jan 1964)EMPIRE Follow-On – Parametric Mission Analysis (GDA report AOK 63-024, 30 Aug 1963)
19640000998,The empire dual planet flyby mission,1963,,
Summary Technical Report, Report No. GD | C AOK 65-002-1, NASA Contract NAS8-11327, June 8, 1965, p. 1-4,13, 37, 56, 60 (Located in the JSC History Collection, JSC Files: Manned Mars Mission Studies, Box 4).95 General Dynamics/Convair, Manned Mars and Venus Exploration Study, Final Report Volume 1:
These are not what you're looking for but might be related....I have a couple volumes of a Boeing man-on-Mars study from 1968, as well as a few other things.
... we have Boeing IMIS study from 1968....
This thread reminds I've heard of the UMPIRE / EMPIRE studies for a veeeery long time...(2007 and my reading of Stephen Baxter Voyage, where they are negatively mentionned by alt-Buzz-Aldrin Muldoon) ... and yet it never dawned on me that the original documents were not available. I mean, we have Boeing IMIS study from 1968; some bits of von Braun pitch to the Space Task Group early August 1969; but the EMPIRE / UMPIRE reports eluded everybody so far. Of course they have been described in detail by both David Portree and Mark Wade's Astronautix.
There are ways to request documents via FOIA that don't include that full fee. You have to request a fee waiver and have a reason for doing so. (And usually you should agree to pay a minimum amount.)
It helps if you have a publication record. But also keep in mind that FOIA can take a long time.
(Addendum: just to let you know, Portree is not a "Dr." and the last time he worked for NASA as a contract historian was probably 15 years ago. He knows a lot, but he's not connected to NASA in any way, so it's not like he can go digging around internally.)
These reports are from the 60s and waiting a bit longer is fine As for the publication record, I have an almost three decade long record of papers and patents but not space literature related. Therefore not sure it would help.
Quote from: libra on 03/20/2022 03:47 pmThis thread reminds I've heard of the UMPIRE / EMPIRE studies for a veeeery long time...(2007 and my reading of Stephen Baxter Voyage, where they are negatively mentionned by alt-Buzz-Aldrin Muldoon) ... and yet it never dawned on me that the original documents were not available. I mean, we have Boeing IMIS study from 1968; some bits of von Braun pitch to the Space Task Group early August 1969; but the EMPIRE / UMPIRE reports eluded everybody so far. Of course they have been described in detail by both David Portree and Mark Wade's Astronautix.TL;DR chasing 60s planetary mission reports is fantastic but some FOIAs are too expensive.
Quote from: leovinus on 03/24/2022 07:42 pmThese reports are from the 60s and waiting a bit longer is fine As for the publication record, I have an almost three decade long record of papers and patents but not space literature related. Therefore not sure it would help. Just request a media waiver and state that you are requesting these for scholarly publication. Agree to pay maybe $50-$100 in fees (copying fees). See what happens.This stuff should be releasable. And if you don't request it, nobody will and it will stay in a locked filing cabinet for another decade or two.
Couple of updates and new (to me) documents and locations.Firstly, while the two JBIS summaries of the three contractor reports on EMPIRE are 20 pages total of goodness, ...