Matthew Pothen - Second Accession

Content Description

This accession contains material belonging to Matthew Pothen Thekaekara, who was a solar physicist and Roman Catholic priest. He was born in 1914 in India. He moved to the United States in 1952 and spent seven years as a faculty at Georgetown University. In 1967, he served as the principal investigator for The NASA 711 Galileo Experiment where he and a team of 18, measured the solar constant and solar spectral irradiance from a research aircraft flying at 38,000 feet above the atmosphere. Their findings were compiled in a report published by the Godard Space Flight Centre, NASA in 1970 where they found the solar constant to be equal to 135.3 mW cm -2. The material received by the Archives includes reprints, publications, letters, photo albums, and media clippings.

Condition Description

The material is dusty and the photographs are glued to pages within an album.

Accession Date

2025-07-12

Dispostion

This material will be processed as part of MS-048 Matthew Pothen Thekaekara Papers.

Provenance

Picked up by Dhatri and Anjali from Thekaekara house in Banaswadi and donated by Tariq Thekaekara. Contains reprints, publications, letters, photo albums, media clippings, packed in 1 plastic box, 1 cardboard box, and 1 camcorder in a leather case.

Retention Rule

This collection will be useful for researchers interested in space science research in the country and the development of the Goddard Space Flight Centre in NASA. This collection also offers insight into the life of an individual who is practicing science and religion simultaneously.

Language of Description

English

Script of Description

Latin

Restrictions Apply

Yes

Access Restrictions

Restricted until processed.

Use Restrictions

Restricted until processed.