Monday, July 30, 2007

Broken Time Capsule (1963-1997)


Since my first post about the General Dynamic Astronautics Time Capsule of 1963, we've learned that it was likely crushed when the building was torn down sometime in 1997. As noted in the comments, 201 copies were produced and distributed to major universities, which is where I happened upon the copy I now have in hand.

It makes you wonder just how many time capsules are destroyed each year when a building is torn down to make way for development of another kind.

The image above is from the second page of the 2063 A.D. book and shows the burying of the time capsule on July 13, 1963. I'll do my best to scan the entire book before returning it to the library.

See also:
General Dynamics Astronautics Time Capsule (1963)
Year 2000 Time Capsule (1958)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Actually, I'm fairly certain I spotted the time capsule a couple of weeks ago: it's stashed in the very back of one of the hangars, behind an exhibit wall, by the restrooms, that make up this aerospace museum in San Diego (I don't recall the name specifically, but it's not the one in Balboa Park). There's no information on it aside from the plaque, but I'm almost positive it's the same one.

Matt Novak said...

That's good to hear! Does anyone have a photo?

Anonymous said...

I looked up some specific information; it's at the San Diego Air & Space Museum, Gillespie Field Annex. The website mentions that many General Dynamics employees had a hand in creating the exhibits, so it's not a stretch to think that the capsule might have ended up here.

Exhibit map: http://www.aerospacemuseum.org/gillespie/collection.html