Space Exploration

[NASA, General Electric] Personalized NASA Hard Hat and Aerospace Hard Hat Presented to Dr. George Mueller

George Mueller Two fiber glass hard hats given to Dr. George Mueller, the father of the Office of Manned Spaceflight at NASA.

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Live auction begins on:

July 15, 02:00 PM GMT

Estimate

4,000 - 6,000 USD

Bid

1,800 USD

Lot Details

Description

Two fiber glass hard hats presented to Dr. George Mueller, the father of the Office of Manned Spaceflight at NASA.

white fiberglass helmet with NASA logo labeled “Dr. Mueller.” Mission insignias for Gemini VII, Apollo 8, Apollo X, Apollo 11, and Apollo XII along the sides of the helmet with a mark that implies one insignia is missing. Label on the inside of the helmet reads: “M-S-A Glass Fiber [...] Adjustable head sizes 6 ⅜ thru 8” and lists patent numbers and federal specifications. Manufactured by the Mine Safety Appliances Company, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
red helmet with “G.E. Miller” inscribed on it with GE Aerospace division insignia. The right lateral side of the red hat is inscribed: “ 1970… the most hectic of all Aerospace Years…the year of the budget slash, the contract cancellation, the program termination, the award reversal, the project stretch-out, the decision deferment, the viving that year and all of its brick bats…and for protection of self and country in 1971…a year that bodes even more ill…the Association of Aerospace Hard Hats welcomes to membership…..G.E. Mueller.” The left lateral side of the helmet features an American flag. Label on the interior indicates adjustable sizing of 6 ½ to 7 ⅝, the US patents applied, and the federal requirements met by the headgear. Marked “Hard Boiled” on the cap interior and manufactured by E.D. Bullard Co, Sausalito, California.

WITH: a typewritten and signed memo by MARK MORTON, Vice President and Group Executive of General Electric Aerospace Group, dated December 18, 1970.

Originally from the personal collection of Dr. George E. Mueller (1918-2015).

“BADGES” from the collection of GEORGE MUELLER, who is credited with creating and leading the Office of Manned Spaceflight at NASA Headquarters, what is now the Human Operations and Exploration Mission Directorate. Mueller was originally sworn in as Deputy Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight on September 1, 1963, but his title quickly changed to Associate Administrator for Manned Space Flight after an internal reorganization and he remained in that role until he left NASA in December 1969. He shepherded the agency through the completion of the Apollo program as well as the early development of Skylab and space shuttle projects. After leaving NASA, Dr. Mueller served as Senior Vice President at General Dynamics Corporation from 1969-1971 during which the red hard hat was bestowed.

The memo accompanying this lot details its professional humor. Morton’s note reads, in full:

“Dear George:

Nineteen Hundred and Seventy must have been the most hectic of all years for the Aerospace industry, and 1971 gives no sign that things will change!

In this volatile environment, I tried to think of some way to acknowledge our cooperation, understanding, patience….yes, and hard work….for and with our industry and government….and at the same time, prepare ourselves for the year ahead.

I just couldn’t resist borrowing an image currently popular on the national political scene and impress you into membership in the bound-to-grow Association of Aerospace Hard Hats!

Enclosed is your membership ‘badge’!

Happy brick bats.

Sincerely,

Mark Morton”

Dr. Mueller remained a mainstay of the American aerospace industry for over a decade after leaving NASA. He left General Dynamics in 1971 to serve as Senior Vice President at System Development Corporation until 1983. After a brief retirement, Dr. Mueller later became the Chief Executive Officer of Kistler Aerospace Corporation from 1996 to 2004. Mueller is remembered as the “Father of the Space Shuttle” and “the man who put men on the Moon.”