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Leonard M. Maki Nuclear Power Collection, 1958 - circa 1990s

By Finding aid prepared by Chris Petersen and Rachel Lilley.

Collection Overview

Title: Leonard M. Maki Nuclear Power Collection, 1958 - circa 1990s

Predominant Dates: 1960-1975

ID: MSS Maki

Primary Creator: Maki, L. M. (Leonard M.)

Extent: 0.8 cubic feet. More info below.

Arrangement: The archival materials in the collection have been arranged into five series: Series 1. Publications and Typescripts, 1958-1990; Series 2. Photographs and Artists’ Concepts, 1960-1967; Series 3. Reports, 1961, 1963; Series 4. Atomics International records, 1963; and Series 5. Artifacts, undated.

Date Acquired: 00/00/2006

Languages of Materials: English [eng]

Abstract

The Leonard M. Maki Nuclear Power Collection consists of materials related to the development of nuclear power systems in the twentieth century. Maki taught Nuclear Engineering courses at Oregon State University after his retirement from Rockwell International in 1987. Of particular note is a collection of records detailing ideas and prototypes for nuclear power systems designed to operate in outer space.

Scope and Content Notes

The Maki Collection consists of materials related to the development of nuclear power systems in the twentieth century.

The archival materials in this collection include publications and typescripts, photographs and artists’ concepts, reports, Atomics International records, and artifacts. The majority of these materials document several projects initiated by Atomics International to create nuclear power systems for use in outer space and at the ocean floor.

Series 1, Publications and Typescripts, includes scientific publications and offprints, and typescripts of seminars presented by Maki in the 1990s. Subjects addressed in the publications include aerospace nuclear power systems and safety, the application of nuclear space power in marine environments, and the analysis of various types of nuclear reactors.

The second series, Photographs and Artists’ Concepts, include photographs, and artists’ renderings of SNAP systems (Systems for Nuclear, Auxiliary Power), including SNAP-2, SNAP-8, SNAP-10, and SNAP-10A. Odd-numbered SNAPs were powered by radioisotope thermoelectric generators; even-numbered SNAPs were powered by compact nuclear reactors. Of special note in this series is a photograph of Leonard Maki, circa 1960s (Box 2, Folder 10).

Series 3, Reports, is comprised of a development plan for the SNAP-8 reactor that charts the program’s progress from its beginning in FY 1961, to expected delivery in FY 1966. Also included in this series is a report detailing the expected results for tests on parts of the 5 Kwe reactor.

The fourth series, Atomics International Records, includes two telephone directories, an organizational chart for the Compact Systems division of Atomics International, a costs list for the Space Electric Program, and charts that document Atomics International’s space power experience.

Series 5, Artifacts, is comprised of five artifacts contemporary to Leonard Maki's work as a nuclear engineer, including a piece of graphite similar to what would have been used in early nuclear reactors; a zirconium hydride rod and beryllium bolts similar to what would have been used in the SNAP reactors; an AECL Technologies (Atomic Energy of Canada Limited) paperweight; a Dietzgen “Trig-Easy” trigonometrical chart; and a slide rule in a hand-tooled, leather holster.

Biographical / Historical Notes

Leonard M. Maki was born June 21, 1929. He received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics from the University of California, Berkeley in 1957, and a Master of Science in Nuclear Engineering from Berkeley in 1958.

A member of the American Nuclear Society, Leonard M. Maki spent over 28 years working as a nuclear engineer at Rockwell International (formerly Atomics International). While at Rockwell, his areas of expertise included nuclear waste repository design, decontamination and decommissioning, remote handling, waste management, safety analysis, instrumentation and control, criticality and shielding analysis, structural analysis and thermal analysis. More specifically, Maki served as the Program Development Manager responsible for marketing activities on the Sodium Advanced Fast Reactor (SAFR), and provided marketing support to Rocketdyne’s involvement in nuclear space power activities. He was the group leader responsible for design engineering on the SNAP-8 program, and subsequently was the Assistant Project Manager of SNAP Reactor Programs, a program directed toward the design, development, and fabrication of a 5-kWe reactor-thermoelectric power system for unmanned space missions. He also served as Assistant Manager of the ZrH Reactor Technology Programs, where he provide technical, administrative, and budgetary direction for ZrH reactor technology and aerospace nuclear safety.

Maki retired from Rockwell in 1987, and has taught courses on nuclear engineering at Oregon State University as well as several universities in southern California.



Author: Chris Petersen and Rachel Lilley

Administrative Information

More Extent Information: 3 boxes; 46 photographs

Statement on Access: The collection is open for research.

Acquisition Note: Accessioned from Leonard Maki in February 2006.

Separated Materials: The books originally donated as part of the collection have been separated, catalogued, and are now part of the History of Atomic Energy Rare Books Collection.

Related Materials:

Other collections documenting nuclear physics, nuclear energy, and nuclear reactor design include the Eugene Starr Papers, the Theodore Rockwell Papers, and the Nuclear Science Technical Reports.

Books on nuclear power, nuclear power systems in space, marine applications of nuclear energy, and reactor design can be found in SCARC's History of Atomic Energy rare book collection. SCARC's Nuclear History LibGuide provides information about a variety of resources pertaining to nuclear and atomic history.

Preferred Citation: Leonard M. Maki Nuclear Power Collection (MSS Maki), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid appended and revised in February 2018.

Creators

Maki, L. M. (Leonard M.)
Rockwell International. Atomics International Division.

People, Places, and Topics

American Nuclear Society
History of Science
Maki, L. M. (Leonard M.)
Nuclear reactors--Shielding (Radiation)
Nuclear reactors--United States--Safety measures.
Project SNAP.
Rockwell International. Atomics International Division.
Submerged nuclear power plants

Forms of Material

Information artifacts.
Photographic prints.


Box and Folder Listing