MS-123

MS-123

 

RITA RAPP – NASA COLLECTION

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The Rita Rapp – National Aeronautics and Space Administration Collection details the history of the United States’ space program, beginning in 1958 with the Explorer satellite launch through Project Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs, climaxing with the moon landings, and concluding with pictures and highlights of Piqua’s own Rita Rapp, the environmental physiologist who designed, developed, and prepared in flight medical items, foods, and food packaging for all manned space flights.

 

The collection comprises two Hollinger boxes and 86 files.  It was processed and added to the Flesh Public Library Archives in December, 2005.  There are no restrictions on the use of this collection.

 

SCOPE AND CONTENTS

 

The Rita Rapp – National Aeronautics and Space Administration Collection is contained in two Hollinger boxes divided into five Series:

 

Series I – 1958-1968

 

Series II – 1969-1970

 

Series III – 1971-1975

 

Series IV – Booklets and Pictures

 

Series V – Rita Rapp

 

HISTORY

 

The Rita Rapp – National Aeronautics and Space Administration Collection contains material on Piqua’s own Rita Rapp, as well as a history of the United States’ space program, told through the primary sources of newspapers and magazines.

 

Rita Rapp, born in Piqua, Ohio, was a graduate of Piqua Catholic High School in 1946.  She also graduated from the University of Dayton and the St. Louis University Graduate School.  She began her aerospace medical career in 1956 at the U.S. Air Force Resource Laboratory at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base as a research psychologist.

 

She joined the NASA Space Task Group at Langley Field in 1961, and was among the early pioneers of the space program, transferring to the NASA Manned Space Craft Center in Houston, Texas, in 1962.  She participated in manned launches dating from the first Mercury missions through the Space Shuttle program.

 

Miss Rapp was responsible for the design and development of food and packaging systems that evolved through basic and applied research into a unique food system used aboard the SKYLAB space station in 1973 and 1974.  Her experience with a food and packaging system for individual astronauts was gained in the course of the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab programs.

 

She received many awards for her work – among them the Bauer Award, given annually for the most significant contribution in space medicine; the United States Civil Service Commission of the Federal Women’s Award; the University of Dayton Distinguished Alumni Award; the NASA Exceptional Service Medals; and numerous commendations and achievement awards, as well as testimonials from NASA astronauts.  She authored and co-authored over twenty scientific papers and reports.

 

Rita Rapp died on July 12, 1989, following a lengthy illness.

 

CONTAINER LISTING

 

Box 1

Series 1

 

File Number

 

  1. 1958, April – Explorer I & Project Mercury
  2. 1962 – 21 Oct.-Pictures of 16 Astronauts & booklet on Rice University
  3. 1963 – March 3- Saga Magazine:Astronaut Deke Slayton
  4. 1963  - May 12-Texas Magazine: Cooper in Training
  5. 1963 – May 27-Newsweek:Cooper in Space
  6. 1963 – September 27-Life:New Astronauts in Training
  7. 1964 – May 31-Texas Magazine: Man in Space
  8. 1965 – June 9-Houston Chronicle:White & McDivitt Walk in Space
  9. 1965 – April 2-Life-Grissom & Young:Gemini’s Journey
  10. 1965 – June 18-Life-Space Walk:Gemini IV:McDivitt & White
  11. 1965 – June 18-Life:Gemini IV
  12. 1965 – June 11-Time: McDivitt & White
  13. 1968 – June 25-Life:Astronaut’s Own Story
  14. 1967 – Life:Russia’s Lunar Boomerang
  15. 1968 – January-Medical Digest:50TH Anniversary of USAF School of Aerospace Medicine
  16. 1968 – October-Life:Apollo 7

 

Series II

 

  1. 1969 – January 6-Newsweek: Apollo 8
  2. 1969 – July 4-Life: Letter from Lindbergh
  3. 1969 – December-Life:Astronaut’s Own Stories
  4. 1969 – Look: Special on Apollo 8
  5. 1969 – Jan. 10-Life: 1968 Special Issue
  6. 1969 – March 28-Time: Apollo 9 photos
  7. 1969 – March 14-Life:Apollo 9
  8. 1969 – March 28-Life: Photos from Apollo 9
  9. 1969 – May 9-Time: Apollo 10 Lunar Album
  10. 1969 – June 20-Life:Trip to the Moon, Apollo 10
  11. 1969 – Jul 4-Life: Off to the Moon, Apollo 11
  12. 1969 – July 25-Life: Leaving for the Moon
  13. 1969 – August 1-Life: On the Moon
  14. 1969 – August 8-Life: Giant Step On the Moon
  15. 1969 – August 22-Life: Astronauts’ Own Story
  16. 1969 – Look-Special Issue, Apollo 11
  17. 1969 – Life-Special Issue: To the Moon & Back, Apollo 11
  18. 1969 – July 25-Texas Catholic Herald: Pope Paul VI on Apollo 11
  19. 1969 – July 13-Miami Herald: Man’s Journey to Tomorrow
  20. 1969 – July 13-Houston Chronicle: Mission Moon
  21. 1969 – July 22-Houston Post: Apollo 11 Ends; Heads Home
  22. 1969 – July 27-Houston Post: One Giant Leap for Mankind
  23. 1969 – August 17-Houston Post: To the Moon & Beyond
  24. 1969 – November 9-World Today: Apollo 12
  25. 1969 – December 12-Life: Apollo 12 on the Moon
  26. 1970 – April 24-Life: Apollo 13
  27. 1970 – May 1-Life: Apollo 13, Astronauts’ Own Story
  28. 1970 – July 31-Life: Alan Shepard, Apollo 14

 

Series III

 

  1. 1971 – August 20-Life: Roving the Moon, Apollo 15
  2. 1971 – August-Life: 3 Soviet Heroes
  3. 1971 – July 25-Houston Chronicle: Astronaut’s Profile, Apollo 15
  4. 1971 – August 8-Houston Chronicle: Million Mile Trip, Apollo 15
  5. 1972 – April 10- Piqua Daily Call: Apollo 16 Spacemen
  6. 1972 – April 23-Houston Post: Ecstatic After Two Moon Trips
  7. 1973 – November 16-Today: Saturn Poised for Launch
  8. 1972 – December 3-Today: End of the Beginning, Apollo 17
  9. 1972 – December 3-Miami Herald: Last Voyage to the Moon
  10. 1972 – December 6-Today: Apollo-a Beginning (2 Sections, 1 paper)
  11. 1975 – July 15-Houston Chronicle: Soyuz in Orbit awaiting U.S. Apollo
  12. 1975 – July 16-Houston Post: Apollo Speeding to Soyuz
  13. 1975 – July 17-Houston Post: Meeting Hours Away
  14. 1975 – July 18-Clear Lake News Citizen: Afternoon in Mission Control
  15. 1975 – July 18-Houston Post: U.S. & Russia Shake Hands in Space
  16. 1975 – July 18-Houston Chronicle: Spacemen Go Calling
  17. 1975 – July 19-Houston Post: U.S. & Soviets Part Company in Space
  18. 1975 – July 20-Houston Post: Spacecrafts Part
  19. 1975 – July 21-Houston Post: Cosmonauts Land in Russia Today
  20. 1975 – July 21-Houston Chronicle: Landing A-OK for Cosmonauts
  21. 1975 – July 25-Houston Chronicle: Final Apollo Splashdown
  22. 1975 – July 24-Houston Post: Apollo Era to End in Splash

 

Series IV

 

  1. 1968 to 1969 Commemorative Photos & Pictures of Apollo 11 Astronauts
  2. Tidbits of the Astronauts – Stamps, etc.
  3. 1969 Apollo 11 Magazine – in Italian
  4. News of M.S.C. 1965 November/1969 March/1969 May/1969 September
  5. Spaceland News – 1968 November/1969 Jan.-Feb.-Sept.-Oct.-Dec.
  6. Space News Roundup – 1963 November & December
  7. Space News Roundup – 1965 Jan.-July-Aug.-Oct. 1-Oct. 9-Oct. 15-Nov.-Dec.
  8. Space News Roundup – 1967-March 3-March 17-April 14-April 28-Sept. 29
  9. Space News Roundup – 1968-June-July-December
  10. Space News Roundup – 1969-Jan.-Feb.-March-May 16-May 30-June-August-Sept. 5-Sept. 19-Oct.3-Oct. 17-Nov.
  11. 1969 July 13 Miami Herald: Werner Von Braun
  12. 1969 July 8 Today: Girl Engineer for NASA
  13. Cape Canaveral, Florida – Booklets & Pictures, n.d.

 

Box 2

Series V

 

  1. 1946-1988 Rita Rapp: Diploma & Obituary
  2. Pictures of Autographed Thank You’s & food trays
  3. Houston Chronicle – 12/27/1964:Rita Works with Astronauts, “How Much Stress Can a Human Take?”; News of M.S.,C. – Oct./1965-picture of Women Managers, incl. Rita Rapp
  4. 1968 &1969 – Rita Rapp: “How & Why Astronauts Eat”
  5. 1971 – Rita Rapp’s Many Awards
  6. 1975 – Rita Rapp’s Thank You’s & Write-up’s