NATIONAL RADIO ASTRONOMY OBSERVATORY ARCHIVES

Papers of David S. Heeschen

David S. Heeschen (1926- ) was a consultant to Associated Universities, Inc., during the planning process for a national radio astronomy facility, and was the third National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) employee, beginning work on 1 July 1956, almost five months before the signing of AUI's formal contract with the National Science Foundation to organize and operate NRAO. Heeschen served as Acting Director from 1961-1962, and was Director from 1962-1978.

These papers are a small group of materials donated to the NRAO Archives by Dr. Heeschen in March 2003, and are primarily on the founding of NRAO and NRAO history, on U.S. radio astronomy history and funding, and notes for talks on history given by Heeschen on various occasions, including his 1993 Jansky Lecture. Many of the history materials are photocopies gathered by Heeschen from the NRAO Director's Office files as he prepared talks and papers. Materials are dated 1954-1996.

The papers of Dr. Heeschen in his capacities as Acting Director and as Director are included with Director's Office materials in the NRAO institutional records in the Archives.