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Clifford Blake Powers papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSP 80

Scope and Contents

The Clifford Blake Powers papers primarily document Powers' career with Essex Corporation and CST, Incorporated, in association with NASA. The papers also include various NASA-related publications, promotional material and memorabilia collected by Powers. The papers contain a varied assortment of artifacts, papers and publications related to Powers' employment at Essex Corporation, where he was the project manager (publications) for the First United States Microgravity Laboratory mission (USML-1), the Second United States Microgravity Laboratory mission (USML-2), the Astro-2 mission, the Gamma Ray Observatory lesson from space (flight visual), Spacelab J mission, and the first Tethered Satellite System mission (TSS-1). Also included are items from his employment at CST, Incorporated as the Director of Outreach for NASA's Space Product Development Program. Included are a wealth of NASA and mission related mugs, glassware, memorabilia, posters, press kits, promotional materials, and other printed material. The papers also include NASA publications, photographs, journal articles, and books, as well as awards and certificates from Powers' years of associated employment with NASA.

The varied types of material include: articles, artifacts, awards, books, buttons, certificates, clothing, commemorative pins, first day covers (philately), NASA images, memorabilia, papers, patches, photographs, plaques, posters, press kits (NASA), promotional materials, publications (NASA), a scrapbook, and assorted miscellaneous items.

Dates

  • Creation: 1962 - 2003
  • Other: Majority of material found within 1990 - 2002

Creator

Language of Materials

Collection material is in English.

Access Information

The collection is open for research. The collection is stored offsite; 24 hours notice is required to access the collection.

Copyright and Use Information

Portions of material in this collection are in the public domain. Other material copyrights held by Purdue University or original creator. Consult with Purdue University Archives and Special Collections prior to reproduction of materials.

Biographical Information

Clifford Blake Powers is a 1978 graduate of Stratford Academy, an independent college preparatory school in Macon, Georgia. He also did a National Science Foundation summer studies program in energy and national policy at Stratford Academy. Powers studied engineering, English, and psychology at Auburn University before completing his bachelor's degree in journalism at Columbia College Chicago. As part of his undergraduate studies he served a photographic internship at Playboy magazine and earned his private pilot's license in 1980. He earned his Master of Science in Communications at the University of Tennessee in 1989, and earned a certificate in International Marketing and Management from the University of Alabama, Huntsville in 1991. In addition, he has undergone Air Force physiological training for high-altitude and specialized flight and holds military expert ratings with M-16 and issue pistol. Most recently he was a Fellow at the Knight Center for Specialized Journalism for seminars on "U.S. Military: New President, New Outlook?" and "Digital Life: Policy and Privacy Online" and earned his Basic Emergency Management Certificate (MEMS) and completed the IGR Basic Ground Search and Rescue course.

Powers has more than 25 years' experience in communications, including work in high technology and biomedical journalism, public relations, and marketing and is an award winning author and photographer. While he worked in high school, his professional career began as an undergraduate working at WEGL and WAUD radio stations in Auburn, and at the Auburn Plainsman newspaper. He did freelance work for a variety of outlets, which led to his becoming Correspondent-at-Large for Space World Magazine in 1983. In 1985 he became Senior Science Writer for Schneider Services International in support of Public Affairs Office operations at the U.S. Air Force Arnold Engineering Development Center where he managed disaster preparedness planning, productivity analysis, office automation development, and edited the base technical magazine among other duties.

After earning his Master's, Powers worked for Essex Corporation, where he was the project manager (publications) for the First United States Microgravity Laboratory mission (USML-1), the Second United States Microgravity Laboratory mission (USML-2), the Astro-2 mission, the Gamma Ray Observatory lesson from space (flight visual), Spacelab J mission, and the first Tethered Satellite System mission (TSS-1).

After a time doing freelance work, he was hired by CST, Inc. to be the Director of Outreach for NASA's Space Product Development Program. He then worked at Purdue doing marketing for the Weldon School of Biomedical Engineering. While there, Powers took vacations to serve as a photojournalist in Iraq in 2007-2008. Powers later wrote a book featuring his photographs about the day-to-day life with troops in Iraq. In addition to print and broadcast work for a variety of outlets worldwide, he is also the author of "The Soviet Watchers" (his Master's thesis); "A Different View: Travels with Team Easy, Iraq 2007;" "A Different View: Travels to Al Qa'im and Beyond;" "A Bride to the Moon;" "A Different View: DJ, Doura, and Arab Jabour;" and "Flight of the Fantasy."

Source: As noted by Powers : http://blakepowers.net/?page_id=8

Extent

21.41 Cubic Feet (25 letter-size full-width manuscript boxes, six cubic feet boxes, seven flat boxes, three clamshell boxes, two letter-size half-width manuscript boxes, and seven loose, oversized items)

Arrangement

The papers are organized into seven series. Oversized certificates, photographs, posters, and other printed material have been separated and grouped into individual series for preservation purposes. Most items are in chronological order within their respective series or subseries. Please note that many items are undated.

  1. NASA Publications and Press Kits
  2. Books, Journals, Newspapers and Articles
  3. Photographs, Audio Visual Material and Digital Media
  4. Awards, Certificates and Plaques
  5. Scrapbook
  6. Artifacts
  7. Oversized Items

Acquisition Information

Collection donated by Clifford Blake Powers, April 8, 2009; July 8,2009; August 6, 2009; December 21, 2009; August 6, 2010; September 20, 2012; and December 5, 2012.

Processing Information

All materials have been housed in acid-free folders, acid-free boxes and artifact boxes. Polyester sleeves were used where warranted. Four rolled items and one framed photograph, previously loose, have been rehoused in an oversized flat box, for preservation purposes.

Title
Clifford Blake Powers papers
Status
Under Review
Author
Mary A. Sego
Date
2020-05-18
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English
Edition statement
Second edition. Collection description first completed 2015-05-12.

Repository Details

Part of the Purdue University Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
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