Franklyn Woods Phillips
1917-2008

• Profession: NASA Manager
• Birth Date: September 26, 1917
• Nationality: American

Franklyn W. Phillips graduated from GMI¹ in 1939. He then attended MIT,² graduating in 1941 with a Science Baccalaureate degree in mechanical engineering. He then went to work at the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory,^3,4 later moving to Lewis^5,6,7 where he did research on aircraft engine materials and stresses.^8,9 In 1945 he became a member of the NACA¹⁰ director's staff and served as administrator for a variety of NACA research programs in aircraft engines and aircraft and missile structures and loads. In October 1958 he became special assistant to Glennan.^11–14 He relinquished that position in January 1959 to become acting secretary of the National Aeronautics and Space Council.^15,16 During this period he was involved with the development of outer space law.¹⁷  In February 1960 he returned to his position as Glennan's assistant. He continued in that job under James E. Webb^18–23 until 1962, when he became director of NASA's new North-Eastern Office.²⁴ In 1964 he became Assistant Director for Administration at the new NASA Electronics Research Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts.^24–28

The historical document, Pressures by President's Science Advisory Committee,²⁹ indicates he was involved in supporting the space agency's choice for the mode for the lunar mission. This decision resulted in a lunar landing by means of a lightweight module that rendezvoused with the Command Module in lunar orbit. This ran counter to the arguments of the North American Aviation engineers who wanted to see their Command Module be the one that brought the first human into contact with the lunar surface. Instead, the Lunar Excursion Module was designed by Grumman.

In 1970, the year of his retirement from NASA, he was presented with the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the second highest award in the NASA Incentive Awards Program, granted for significant achievement or service characterized by unusual initiative or creative ability that clearly demonstrates substantial improvement in engineering, administrative, space flight, or space-related endeavors which contribute to NASA programs.³⁰

Sources and References (=NASA, =Wikipedia, etc.)

1. Kettering University Flint, Michigan; formerly GMI, or General Motors Institute; see key dates
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts
3. Langley Aeronautical Laboratory NASA's oldest field center at Hampton, Virginia
4. NASA Langley National Aeronautics & Space Administration, Langley Research Center
5. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field Formerly the Lewis Research Center
6. Glenn Research Center NASA Glenn is located in Cleveland, Ohio
7. NASA Glenn History Originally: NACA Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory, 1941
8. Operating Stresses in Aircraft-Engine ... NACA Memorandum Report E5C30
9. Operating Stresses in Aircraft-Engine ... NACA Memorandum Report E5H18
10. National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
11. T. Keith Glennan First administrator of NASA
12. T. Keith Glennan NASA Administrator, August 19, 1958–January 20, 1961
13. Diary of T. Keith Glennan SP-4105. Also see book review
14. Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum The Glennan Years
15. National Aeronautics and Space Council US State Dept. memo re: Frank as Acting Secretary
16. National Aeronautics & Space Act of 1958 (Unamended)
17. Excerpts from Space Law Report Air Force's Role in Developing International Outer Space Law
18. James E. Webb NASA Administrator, February 14, 1961–October 7, 1968 GRIN images
19. James E. Webb Biographical sketch
20. The Man Who Ran the Moon: James E. Webb,... book by Piers Bizony
21. James E. Webb—Oral History Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum
22. James Webb Space Telescope Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI)
23. Biographies of Aerospace Officials and Policymakers Frank's appears here
24. NASA North Eastern Operations Office July 1962–September 1964
25. NASA Center Operations Begin Article in MIT newspaper "The Tech" March 18, 1964
26. NASA's Electronics Research CenterNASA History Division
27. NASA Historic Data Book, NASA Facilities Electronics Reseaarch Center
28. NASA Electronics Research Center NASA Office of Logic Design
29. Pressures by President's Science Advisory Committee
30. Honor Awards National Exceptional Service Medal awarded to Franklyn W. Phillips
31. Chariots for Apollo Seminal history of NASA and the Apollo mission
32. Celebrating NASA's 40th Honoring Glennan & Webb
33. John F Kennedy Presidential Library Most of Frank's papers are here
34. Political Friendster Someone posted Franklyn W. Phillips here
35. Concord Monitor Obituary for Franklyn W. Phillips