COMARA is an association open to former COMSAT employees and surviving spouses. COMSAT was one of the most extraordinary and unique venture of the space age. COMSAT as we knew it has disappeared with pieces scattered in a variety of directions or dissolved. One purpose of COMARA is maintaining social contacts.

Preserving the Comsat Legacy, by attempting to ensure that materials and artifacts are not lost. Two organizations have shared in this goal. These are the COMSAT Legacy Foundation and the COMSAT Legacy Project.

COMSAT Legacy Project

The COMSAT Legacy Project is headed by Steve Teller. Steve recruited volunteers to help make some of the COMSAT history materials available through the internet. Steve hosts these documents on his IOT Systems web site. The collection contains photographs, the entire set of COMSAT Technical Review, and COMSAT Oral Histories.

COMSAT Legacy Foundation

Ed Martin headed the COMSAT Legacy Foundation. This is a Board that worked to take official possession of many documents and other artifacts owned by Lockheed Martin after the purchase of COMSAT. The Foundation had the goal of preserving the documents and making sure they were available to future researchers. Two collections of documents were transferred to Johns Hopkins University and the George Washington University. The COMSAT Legacy Foundation has completed the work they planned to do, and has now transferred any future activities to COMARA.

Confessions of a Technocrat - John McLucas

The Air University Press published the book by Dr. John McLucas. The web site not only offers the book for sale, but also includes a PDF file that you can download [free] containing the book. Eight pages of the book include his views of his time at COMSAT.

This page is under construction. Some articles and documents collected during the past year are included. Note that the opinions expressed in the articles are those of the author, and are not necessarily endorsed by COMARA.

Space History Buffs Try to Save Sat Dish

A chance reading of a "for sale" advertisement in a weekly newspaper has launched a group of 30 space history buffs on a mission to save the 30-meter Jamesburg AT&T/Comsat satellite dish about an hour from Monterey, Calif.

Jamesburg Earth Station Volunteer Group

This new home of the Jamesburg Earth Station volunteer group now contains everything the old site had - and more!!. Jamesburg Re-activation 2007 - hundreds of pictures.

Comsat General White House Support trip to Grenada 1984 pictures (Dave Lee, John Castorina, others)

Both web sites provided by John Castorina

What a Difference a Year Makes

A year ago, LCOR, the owners of the 220 acre complex formerly known as Comsat Laboratories, had announced plans to raze the building. During the past year, there has been a lot of activity on the part of county residents to try to save at least part of the structure. Steve Teller provided links to two articles from January 10, 2007, that indicate a very different future for the COMSAT Laboratories Building. Steve also provided the link to the July 19, 2006 Gazette article discussing some of the preservation activities.

Washington Post: Wednesday, January 10, 2007; B03
Pelli Building Won't Be Razed
Developer Will Work Around Architect's Modernist Structure
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/09/AR2007010901510_pf.html
By Miranda S. Spivack
Washington Post Staff Writer

Gazette Papers: Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2007
Plan set to save Comsat building
Out of the spotlight, developer and community agree on plan
http://www.gazette.net/stories/011007/germnew183315_31975.shtml
by Susan Singer-Bart
Staff Writer

Gazette Papers: Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Comsat letters seek another shot
Writers' goal is to persuade the County Council to hold a public hearing on building's historic designation
http://www.gazette.net/stories/071906/montnew205259_31973.shtml
by Susan Singer-Bart
Staff Writer

Copies of Articles from 2005

comsat labs-paradise lost

comsat’s fate in hands of council

comsat-envision it as a learning magnet

lawsuits may force comsat to council

pbworksession_2 [doc]

with it almost gone, a look back at 2005