Wagar Space Collection

The Wagar Space Collection represents the collection interests of Commander Howard Wagar, from the 1940's to the 1980's. His main collecting interest was the space program, for which he collected periodicals, newspaper clippings, public relations materials and photographs and prints. Materials are related to various aspects of the space program, including the Apollo missions, the lunar module landing, the Skylab and Viking projects, Mars, the Russian Space Program and information about astronauts. In addition to the materials related to the space program, the collection also includes information regarding events such as post World War II atomic bomb tests, the rise of Fidel Castro to power in Cuba, and the assassination of President Kennedy.

Series I: Periodicals, 1945-1981, Undated, contains periodicals about the space program, as well as issues of major periodicals that referenced the different aspects of the program. The periodicals are in French, Italian and Russian and English, and include issues of major periodicals such as Newsweek, Time and numerous issues of LIFE Magazine, as well as special editions of newspapers such as the Orlando Sentinel. Major headlines include the Gemini mission, the lunar module landing and a multitude of articles on astronauts.

Series II: Newspaper Clippings, 1945- 1982, contains bound and unbound newspaper clippings related to the space program and other major world events. The Space Shot collection includes twenty-three volumes of bound newspaper clippings of all aspects of the space program from 1956 to 1976. Other bound volumes include articles on the rise of Fidel Castro to power in Cuba and the assassination of President Kennedy. Unbound clippings cover various other aspects of the space program, including Mars, the Russian Space Program and Viking 1 and 2.

Series III: Public Relation and Press Materials, 1963-1983, includes a range of public relations materials related to the space program, including brochures, pamphlets and press releases created for the public. Topics covered included the Apollo-Suyuz Test Mission, Space Project Mercury and Skylab 1 and 2.

Series IV: Technical Manuals, 1952-1968 contains technical manuals for a variety of electronic equipment, including different types of lenses, television equipment, utility monitors and film equipment.

Series V: Photographs and Prints, 1954-1986, contains a variety of photographs and prints related to the space program and the U.S. Military. This series includes three volumes of bound official NASA black and white photographs, ranging in date from 1960 to 1974, as well as unbound official photographs of the Apollo 10 and 15 missions and the orbiter Discovery launch. The series also contains photographic prints from the U.S. Army and Air Force, some of which are oversize. Finally, the series includes oil and watercolor prints from various artists depicting events in the space program such as guided missile launches.