Donald A. Beattie Papers

Collection

Identifier: MS MSS 25

Scope and Content Note

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This collection consists of a modest range of material mostly pertaining to Donald Beattie's work for various energy agencies under the Carter Administration. The bulk of the collection consists of material from 1973-1978 housed in eight boxes and arranged in twelve series.

Series I consists of two published reports by Donald Beattie. Series II contains a chronological record of correspondence and transmittals that provide a detailed account of Donald Beattie's day to day actions regarding the energy industry. Series III through Series VI are Donald Beattie's personal record of his trips, speeches, meetings, and correspondence. Series VII chronicles the meeting between the U.S. and USSR to discuss energy, their respective energy policies, and possible cooperative efforts. Series VIII consists of an account of daily and weekly appointments. Series IX: Research Files reflects Beattie's various areas of professional interest. Series X consists of publications produced by the various energy agencies in which Beattie was employed. Series XI is an official record reading file. Series XII is a compilation of miscellaneous materials, including photographs.

Dates

Creation: 1971-1979

Language of Materials

Material in English

Access Restrictions

To view this collection, make an appointment at least five business days prior to your visit by contacting Ask an Archivist or calling (480) 965-4932. Appointments in the Design and the Arts Special Collections Reading Room at the Design and the Arts Library on the Tempe campus are available Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Copyright

Arizona State University does not own the copyright to this collection. We recognize that it is incumbent upon the researcher to procure permission to publish information from this collection from the owner of the copyright.

Biographical Note

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Donald A. Beattie was born to James Francis and Evelyn Margaret (Hickey) Beattie on October 30, 1929. He graduated from Columbia College in 1951 and went on to serve as a pilot in the U.S. Navy from 1951 to 1956. He remained in the Ready Reserve until 1967. During his military career, Beattie flew eleven different kinds of prop and jet aircraft. Upon leaving the Navy, he enrolled at the Colorado School of Mines, where he earned his M.S. in 1958. Beattie went to work for Mobil Oil Co. supervising a field party mapping Mobil's oil concessions in Columbia.

While in Columbia, Beattie learned that NASA was recruiting geologists to help plan the Apollo lunar exploration. He was hired into the fledgling Advanced Manned Missions Office in September of 1963 where he helped to plan for Apollo and post-Apollo lunar missions. At the end of the Apollo program, Beattie transferred to the National Science Foundation, where he was appointed Director of the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Division. In 1975, he became the Deputy Assistant Administrator (later the Assistant Administrator) for Solar, Geothermal and Advanced Energy Systems at the Energy Research and Development Administration. In 1978, President Carter consolidated federal energy programs and Beattie became Acting Assistant Secretary for Conservation and Solar Applications in the Department of Energy.

Beattie returned to NASA in August of 1978 as Director of the Energy Systems Division. He left in 1983 in order to join BDM International as Vice President of Houston Operations. Beattie established his own consulting business in 1984 and served as President of Endosat Inc. from 1991 to 1996. He also wrote a number of books, including Overview of Solar Heat Technologies (1997), Taking Science to the Moon (2001), and ISScapades: The Crippling of America's Space Program (2006).