Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish material from Hartley A. Soule Papers must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: Hartley A. Soule Papers, Ms1987-004, Special Collections, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Acquisition Information

The Hartley A. Soule Papers were donated to Special Collections in 1986.

Processing Information

Some initial processing was completed in the late 1980s by Special Collections staff. Final processing, arrangement, and description of the collection commenced in June 2012 and was completed in October 2012.

Biographical Information

Hartley A. Soule (1904-1988) was an aeronautical engineer and NASA administrator. He received his B.S. degree from New York University in 1927 and joined the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) the same year. His list of positions at Langley included head of the Spin Tunnel Section, Chief of the Stability Research Division, and Assistant Director. Soule assisted in establishing the NASA High Speed Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base and the Mercury Ground Tracking and Data Acquisition System, and led development on the X-1 and X-15 experimental jet programs. He retired from NASA in 1962.

Scope and Content

The Hartley A. Soule Papers include notes, memoranda, calculations, and drawings on the High-Speed Flight Research Station (1950-1954); Research Airplane Program (1953-1957); X-15 program (1958-1962); Dyna Soar program (1957-1962); Projects Mercury and Gemini (1961-1962); and history of the high-speed aircraft program (1963-67). Materials are arranged in two series. Series I: Papers, includes notes, correspondence, memos, subject files, and work projects. Series II: Publications, contains bound reports, scientific publications, and journals.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in two series. Series I: Papers, is organized by subject/material type. Files are in alphabetical order. Series II: Publications, is organized in chronologically. A list of publications is available in the "Contents List" below.

Index Terms

Subjects:

• Archives of American Aerospace Exploration (AAAE)
• Science and Technology
• United States. National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
• United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Occupations:

• Aeronautical engineers.
• United States. National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics--Officials and employees.
• United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration--Officials and employees.