Dr. Philip Diamond, Walter Melton Enter GPS Hall of Fame

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (9/27/98) -- Philip M. Diamond, Ph.D., and Walter C. Melton were inducted into the Global Positioning System (GPS) Hall of Fame at Los Angeles Air Force Base during ceremonies August 28. They were cited for pioneering work at The Aerospace Corporation during early development of the 24-satellite GPS constellation which has revolutionized navigation by providing precise, all-weather, real-time position coordinates any time of day or night at any location.

Diamond, who retired in 1993, received the award for work from 1968 to 1973 on Air Force Program 621B, the GPS planning study, and on the Defense Navigation Satellite System which evolved into Navstar GPS, the current system. According to the award citation, leadership Diamond provided to a group investigating military applications of space systems "led directly to Air Force Study 621B.

"Over the next ten years, his group identified, designed, and demonstrated the essential elements that made the Navstar GPS satellite system possible, including the use of measurements from four satellites and the use of wide-bandwidth information processing techniques for measurements of signal time-of-arrival. His accomplishments led directly to the establishment of the Navstar GPS system as the designated space navigation system of the Department of Defense." Diamond also was instrumental in defining the Defense Support Program and other Department of Defense and U.S. Air Force space programs, the citation stated.

Melton was recognized for work he performed from 1969 to 1973 when he was group director for Program 621B and the Defense Navigation Satellite System.

He was credited with directing the work of a small team of engineers in refining the GPS concept and developing and testing the initial hardware, including the satellites and user equipment. Melton left Aerospace in 1979 to work in industry. He retired in late 1994.