Feb 04, 2016 - Sale 2404

Sale 2404 - Lot 246

Price Realized: $ 1,375
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 2,000 - $ 3,000
THIS *IS* ROCKET SCIENCE (SPACE.) Barnes, John A. Diaries describing his work as a NASA engineer. 11 diary volumes (complete from 1964 to 1987 except for a gap from October 1978 to 1981) plus one course notebook dated 1966, kept in 4to (11 x 8 inches) spiral-bound Federal Supply Service notebooks; only minor wear; weekly leave records taped to inner front cover of each volume; signature "JA Barnes" on front cover of first volume. Vp, 23 November 1964 to 14 November 1987

Additional Details

John Alvin Barnes (1929-2010) was an Alabama native and graduate of Auburn University who went on to a career as an propulsion engineer with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. From his first week on the job, he was involved with the program's Delta rockets, which have launched a wide variety of craft into space.
Most of Barnes's entries are technical in nature, interspersed with brief personal notes. Though he was not directly involved with the actual launches, he understandably took an interest. His first launch was Gemini 3, the first manned Gemini craft: "Saw Molly Brown take off and land. Grissom & Young OK" (23 March 1965). He later witnessed one of NASA's greatest tragedies: "Saw shuttle Challenger destroyed in an explosion at 47,000 ft. altitude and 74 sec. into flight. No survivors" (28 January 1986). For the most part, Barnes was running tests, attending meetings, and writing reports. A more typical entry would be this one for 5 April 1965: "2nd stage servicing delayed till 0230 due to stray voltage problems on G.G. monitor circuit. During servicing one man's face shield was splattered with UDMH. Acid tank vent leaked." An up-close look at rocket development from the golden age of NASA's manned space program.