Fred W. Redding Papers

This collection consists of approximately 15 cubic feet of papers, mostly reports and articles, written or collected by Fred W. Redding for his work on space system concepts for national defense and commercial space industry and services.

Fred "Bud" Redding was an aerospace engineer, specifically concerned with space systems concepts for national defense and commercial space industry and services. He worked on the following major programs: the Strategic Defense Initiative (integrated space system concept architecture); the MX ICBM (post-boost vehicle and reentry system deployment systems); Apollo Program (resident Project Engineer for Rockwell, Command Module); B-70 Strategic bomber (bombing navigation and missile guidance systems); and the X-10 and Navaho intercontinental cruise missiles. Redding also provided strategic concept analysis and support for the Office of Deputy Undersecretary of Defense R&D (Strategic and Space Systems) and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). One of the projects that Redding worked on with DARPA in the early 1980s was the Space Cruiser. When the government failed to pursue the idea, he began to refine it on his own for commercial use. He set up a commercial space company, Cislunar Corporation, to market the Space Cruiser for commercial and military interspace and trans-atmospheric operations, including in-space servicing of space assets and serving as a taxi, rescue and service vehicle for the planned U.S. space station, and for the existing Soviet Mir station.