"Advanced Programs," 1977

Disher was named Director of Advanced Programs, Office of Manned Space Flight in March 1974. A NASA news release states that Advanced Programs "continuously analyzes and evaluates concepts for manned space activities, defining their benefits, and determining costs and technical feasibility as they relate to changing national needs and priorities." Items in this subseries include correspondence, reports, NASA newsletters, papers written by Disher and others, financial records and presentation and briefing materials. The subseries documents the planning and beginning developments of projects such as the space shuttle, a permanent manned space station and a space platform. The latter was a proposed structure in space useful for several purposes, including space manufacturing and construction, automated satellite retrieval and scientific experimentation.