Videodisc Imagery Collection

The NASM Archives reproduced many of its photographic images on analog videodiscs. These videodisc allow researchers to look at images in the collection without handling the actual images, and since the videodisc could be distributed to repositories across the national, part of the Archives collection could be viewed without visiting the Archives. The videodisc format addressed preservation concerns and as aided the researchers by providing accelerated access to the images. The first NASM videodisc was made available in 1983, and eight discs were completed before the end of the videodisc program. Disc 1 contains images of aircraft, both domestic and foreign, arranged alphabetically by manufacturer or designer. Disc 2 includes images of aviation and space subjects, more aircraft photographs, balloons and airships, personalities, commercial airlines, events, trophies, military aviation, communications, equipment, museums, philatelic covers and models. Discs 3 and 4 reproduce the US Air Force pre-1954 still photo collection, which was filmed while it was on loan to the Archives. Discs 5 and 6 reproduces a set of the NASA public release collection, including lunar mission from Ranger 7 through Apollo 17 and Space Shuttle missions STS-1 and STS-61C. Disc 7 images from the Archives collection, including propulsion images, space history files and images from personal collections, including scrapbooks. Disc 8 includes images of Mars' surface.