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.

COMSAT Legacy Project

The COMSAT Legacy Project was formed for the purpose of acquiring and preserving the COMSAT records and artifacts currently held by Lockheed-Martin. An advisory board, the COMSAT Legacy Foundation, consisted of Joseph Charyk, Chairman, David Acheson, Luke Battle, Jerry Breslow, John Evans, John Johnson, John McLucas, Sid Metzger and Carl Reber. Some of the acquired documents were transferred to John Hopkins University. Some of the Charyk Papers were transferred to George Washington University. Ed Martin served as Executive Secretary. Some of the documents have been captured in digital form and are now being added to the Legacy section of the COMARA web site.

Much of the work of converting the documents was done by Steve Teller and a number of volunteers who found and scanned the documents. This includes: Mike Hulley, Brian Teller, Heather Teller, Robert Kroll, Ron Johnson, and David Whalen.

The converted documents disappeared from the internet for a few months. Copies of 20,000 computer files were transferred to COMARA in July 2011 and these are now gradually being added to the comara.org web site.

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.

Who picked the Labs address?

This was a question posed to members in an email on November 6, 2010. Read the responses from members. A number of ideas are included.

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