Marjorie Rhodes Townsend

Report written by Marjorie Rhodes Townsend on NASA's Small Astronomy Satellite program, including its suitability for specific astronomic experiments.

Marjorie Rhodes Townsend receiving the Knight of the Italian Public Order in October 1972.

Newspaper article about Townsend's work with NASA's Small Astronomy Satellite Program.

Newspaper article about women receiving federal awards, featuring Townsend.

Townsend at the 13th Annual Federal Woman's Award banquet.

Volume 27, number 4, of Goddard News, a NASA publication from the Goddard Space Flight Center.

Born in 1930, Marjorie Rhodes Townsend entered George Washington University (GWU) engineering program at the age of 15. She took classes part time and worked full time, becoming the first woman to earn an engineering degree at GWU, receiving her Bachelor of Electrical Engineering in 1951.

Her career began with eight years of sonar research at the Naval Research Laboratory. From 1959 until 1980, she worked at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. Noted for her project management skills, Townsend oversaw three satellite launches from non-US locations. She was project manager for all three Small Astronomy Satellites (1966-1975) and for the Applications Explorer Missions (1975-1976). She was granted a patent for a digital telemetry system that was aboard the NIMBUS satellite. Her last five years at NASA included responsibility for all advanced mission planning for future scientific and applications satellites as well as NOAA's meteorological satellites. After her retirement, Townsend worked for private aerospace companies and provided consulting services to NASA and other aerospace entities. Townsend died in 2015.

Townsend was awarded the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 1971 and the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal in 1980. She was also named Knight of the Italian Republic Order in 1972. She was a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and served as a chair of the Washington chapter.

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