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Description
Full-size plastic model of a space probe of extraterrestrial origin*. Part of an exhibit I designed for the Life in the Universe hall at the National Air And Space Museum (July 1, 1976 – 1979). (The other part of the exhibit can be seen on page 199 of a book titled "The Smithsonian Experience", in a photo called "Message pod from a space creature". I'm working on getting a good photo of that to upload.) The flat red & grey disk is about two feet across, and was designed to rotate (though it was not displayed rotating).

I did all the design and construction work myself, with assistance from Jack Hawley (who was my boss at the time, so I was his assistant in his job, which was Inventor For Hire). The larger pieces were vacuformed, plug molded, or machined; many smaller ones were stamped out with a punch press and dies. It was very nice to have all the resources of Jack's electronic and mechanical prototyping shop available. I miss that.

*Hypothetical Alien Spacecraft (A19751367000)

This is the standard photo of the probe, showing the colors (iron oxide red primer, carbon gray primer, and a tiny bit of black). There are alien idiographic labels on the simulated access hatches, and some streaky silvery “weathering” from centuries of high speed encounters with space dust. I had postcards made from this photo.

My current subgallery for the Starprobe project is here:
www.deviantart.com/donsimpson/…

Description
Full-size plastic model of a space probe of extraterrestrial origin*. Part of an exhibit I designed for the Life in the Universe hall at the National Air And Space Museum (July 1, 1976 – 1979). (The other part of the exhibit can be seen on page 199 of a book titled "The Smithsonian Experience", in a photo called "Message pod from a space creature". I'm working on getting a good photo of that to upload.) The flat red & grey disk is about two feet across, and was designed to rotate (though it was not displayed rotating).

I did all the design and construction work myself, with assistance from Jack Hawley (who was my boss at the time, so I was his assistant in his job, which was Inventor For Hire). The larger pieces were vacuformed, plug molded, or machined; many smaller ones were stamped out with a punch press and dies. It was very nice to have all the resources of Jack's electronic and mechanical prototyping shop available. I miss that.

*Hypothetical Alien Spacecraft (A19751367000)

This is the standard photo of the probe, showing the colors (iron oxide red primer, carbon gray primer, and a tiny bit of black). There are alien idiographic labels on the simulated access hatches, and some streaky silvery “weathering” from centuries of high speed encounters with space dust. I had postcards made from this photo.

My current subgallery for the Starprobe project is here:
www.deviantart.com/donsimpson/…