[SIGCIS-Members] Walter Shawlee - slide rules - obit

[Ceruzzi, Paul]

Thanks Jonathan. The Air & Space Museum had some interesting correspondence with the Oughtred Society, regarding a 5" Pickett slide rule in our collection. We believe it was carried by the crew of the Apollo 13 mission. The crew probably put the rule to good use as they calculated the trajectory to return to Earth safely while their on-board computer was powered down.

Reading obituaries is allowed. Reminds me of a story about New York Yankees pitcher Whitey Ford, whose health problems were being reported in the sports press. Yogi Berra called him up and asked, "Hey Whitey; are you dead yet?" Similar line spoken by the Intuitive Machines mission controllers, after their Lunar lander tilted over on its side.

Paul Ceruzzi
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From: Members <members-bounces at lists.sigcis.org> on behalf of Jonathan Coopersmith via Members <members at lists.sigcis.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 9, 2024 11:32 AM
To: SIGCIS <members at sigcis.org>
Subject: [SIGCIS-Members] Walter Shawlee - slide rules - obit


External Email - Exercise Caution

FYI
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/08/science/walter-shawlee-dead.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1999/06/17/technology/slide-rules-tap-into-nostalgia-of-the-pocket-protector-crowd.html

Stay sane,

Jonathan

PS I do do more than read obits.  I'm just not sure what.

Jonathan Coopersmith
Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science

Professor Emeritus
Department of History
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX  77843-4236
979.739.4708 (cell)

John Mather "Instrument Maker to the Stars,"<https://aerospaceamerica.aiaa.org/departments/instrument-maker-to-the-stars/> Aerospace America November 2023
"Technological obsolescence,<https://www.nationalacademies.org/news/2023/05/technological-obsolescence>" National Academy of Engineering Perspectives May 23, 2023
Preserving space archives:  https://www.toboldlypreserve.space/





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