This interview describes Fraser's work as an engineer and instrumentation specialist at the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism (DTM) during WWII, and then more significantly, at Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) following World War II. His work at DTM was on proximity fuse research. He tranferred from DTM to APL during the war and concentrated on radar research and control systems for guided missiles. After the war, he participated in the used of V-2s for upper atmostphere research with James Van Allen's High Altitude Group, developing instrumentation for telemtetry and cosmic ray research. Other affiliations and contacts discussed include: Luis Alvarez, William Fowler, Allen Hynek, Richard Roberts, Philip Rudnick, Robert Shankland, Merle Tuve, James Van Allen, John Victoreen and the Victoreen Instrument Company, White Sands Missile Range. Topics discussed include metallurgy, nuclear fission, proximity fuzes, rocket development and radio transmission.
Concentrates on Bergstrahl's work at NRL (1946-56), principally as an experiment integrator for rocket flights, with additional coverage of his later work at Ford Aeroneutronics and Aerospace Corporation. Besides discussing the procedures and problems of integrating experiments, Bergstrahl relates his work at NRL on early attempts at high altitude photography, on rocket impact point prediction systems, and on cosmic ray balloon research. The discussion of his years (1956-62) at Ford Aeroneutronics examines his work on lunar and planetary studies, including work on the Ranger Hard Lander.
This interview surveys Baum's career as a physicist at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and astronomer at Mt. Wilson and Palomar Observatories. After sketching Baum's early life, the discussion concentrates on Baum's role in the development of spectroscopy research at NRL, specifically his work on the UV spectrum of the sun - including the first successful UV spectra of the sun. Aspects of his experience in experimentation with V-2s and Aerobees, and his thesis research on rockets at CALTECH (PhD, 1950, physics) are also explored. Additional topics discussed include: Optics Division, NRL; White Sands Proving Ground (NM); relationships with, and costs and descriptions of Baird Atomic; V-2 missile experiments, development and launch; meetings with Werner Von Braun; and contacts with R.W. Wood, J. Strong, Lyman, Stockbarger, and Tousey.
