A Guide to Aerospace Companies

Because satellites and missiles are 70% esoteric electronic devices, firms based solidly in electrical equipment, appliances and electronic know-how were quick to get in.

General Electric Co. (22% of sales in aerospace) got in early with a Government contract to assemble and fire captured German V-25, now has an arm-long list of assignments ranging from Atlas guidance systems to studies of how to live on the moon.

Westinghouse Electric Corp., whose defense projects account for 20% of its sales, brings its nuclear reactor prowess (Nautilus, Seawolf) to use on Nerva, the first atomic rocket, and SNAP, atomic-generated power for satellites.

Radio Corp. of America has been operating in a partial vacuum (inside its radio tubes) for years, so thin-air space work (37% of sales) came naturally. Among its projects: prime contractor on Tiros weather satellites and on NASA's Relay communications satellite system.

Raytheon Co., Massachusetts' biggest employer, is 85% in military work, has switched its radar expertise from air defense to missile defense.

Avco Corp. came into aerospace (60% of sales) "strictly from hunger'' after taking a beating in consumer appliances, is now a big name in nose cones.

Thompson Ramo Wooldridge, once all space work, has diversified so that it is now half auto and aircraft parts. It is prime contractor on the Orbiting Geophysical Observatory.

Because aerospace involves rapid transmission of information over thousands of miles, communications companies, large and small, also fell in naturally.

A. T. & T. parlayed its World War II radar-directed antiaircraft gun control system into prime contracts for the Nike series (Ajax, Hercules, Zeus) of antiaircraft and antimissile rockets. Defense business last year was 27% of sales of A. T. & T.'s manufacturing subsidiary.

International Telephone & Telegraph Corp. is prime contractor for the $70 million communications system at Atlas missile bases.

Microwave Associates, a small company on Boston's famed Route 128, does 70% of its $9,000,000 business in microwave components for aerospace computers and radar. Its new Veractor--a silicon device the size of a spring pea--makes possible reception of signals from 10 million miles out in space.

Collins Radio Co. began as a hamradio producer, now makes deep-space tracking systems for weather satellites.

To analyze the information they collect and to maintain long-range control over their creations, the missile and satellite ' builders were obliged to turn to the makers of business machines and automatic controls.

International Business Machines Corp. had $300 million defense sales last year. Its computers man the SAGE air defense system, calculate missile paths, are going into the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System.

Sperry Rand Corp. does 48% of its business with the Government. Among its projects: prime contractor for the Army's Sergeant surface-to-surface missile.

Burroughs Corp. (25% defense work) built Cape Canaveral's missile guidance computer used in Atlas tests.

Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Co. built its first control in 1885--a "damper flapper" for coal-furnace flues. In the space age, 44 of the 54 U.S. satellites have used its guidance controls.

American Machine & Foundry Co., more widely known for its automatically controlled bowling Pinspotters, is in aerospace with launch site mechanisms for Titan I, Atlas and Minuteman plus a projected moon wagon which will travel on wire brushes.

Aerospace as a business with a future also attracted companies longing to diversify and eager to acquire the appropriate skills.

Chrysler Corp. built the reliable Redstone (47 successes in 52 firings; two astronaut launchings), but fell victim to Pentagon politics that cut back its contracts. Its highly skilled missile force has dwindled from 13,000 to 4,800.

Ford Motor Co.--whose Aeronutronic Division has contracts worth $40 million for an antitank missile, multipurpose booster rocket, and the outer casing of a moon-probe vehicle--recently bought the $400 million-a-year Philco Corp., mainly for Philco's space-age electronics business (prime contractor for the Army Signal Corps Courier communications satellite, tracking and command equipment for the Discoverer satellite).

Unistrut Products Co. of Chicago, a movable-wall-panel builder, is doing a booming business in 99% dust-free "clean rooms" for companies that make critical missile parts.

Flightex Fabrics, Inc. of Providence diversified into missiles from textiles, clay mining and cutting tools, is now prime contractor on the Law lightweight antitank rockets.

In some companies management bet so heavily on aerospace that space products now dominate the firm's output.

Aerojet-General Corp., a subsidiary of General Tire & Rubber Co., builds solid-and liquid-fueled rocket engines for a host of missiles. It also produces infra-red sensors and missile support gear. 1960 sales: $425 million.

Thiokol Chemical Corp. was launched into aerospace by a chemist's accidental discovery that its synthetic rubber made the best solid rocket fuel. Thiokol has since branched into liquid fuel, did $172 million in sales last year.

Air Products & Chemicals Inc. of Trexlertown, Pa. is riding the crest of a liquid oxygen wave as the major supplier for missile engines, last year did 63% of its $49 million sales with the Government. The company became expert at handling the extremely cold LOX through its sales of small commercial on-site generators.

Itelc Corp., a Boston area company working on top-secret cameras and other information gatherers for spy satellites, does half its $35 million sales in aerospace. One new product: a camera said to be able to photograph a golf ball from 300 miles up.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.