This project was supported in whole or in part by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian Made accessible through a grant from the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation and Photo Friends
Used in the exhibit "Over Our Heads: Los Angeles Goes From Stargazing to Moon Landing" Elsie C. Orr was a design engineer at Rocketdyne, a division of North American Aviation in Canoga Park. She and fellow engineer Martin Willinski designed Project Snooper while working on an Air Force contract. Their idea for a non-return, nuclear powered ion rocket propelled reconnaissance vehicle was before its time. The idea finally was developed after years of development and debate. Photograph caption dated January 10, 1958 reads "Plans for space." The article partially reads "Mrs. Elsie Orr, a mother, scholar and architect of an advanced suggestion for interplanetary flight known as 'Snooper,' an ion-propelled space reconnaissance vehicle, and John F. Tormey, an expert on propellent chemistry, will share the speaker's podium. The meeting is slated for 6:30 p.m. at the Encino Club, 5251 Sepulveda Blvd., Sherman Oaks." Mrs. Orr is an engineer at Rocketdyne.
Orr, E.--(Elsie) North American Aviation.--Rocketdyne Division--Employees Aerospace engineers Women engineers Women Aerospace industries--Employees Encino (Los Angeles, Calif.) Portrait photographs
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