The circuit board is from a Tele-Dynamics Type 7201B-1CD-R Modem (Advertised as Model 7201.)
- Type 7201A/B-P
- Assembly 45443 (Prefix TD presumably refers to Tele-Dynamics)
- 45022-2 Rev A (on front side) and 45022-1 Rev A (on back side)
- S/N 149
- The date codes on the ICs indicate the circuit board was manufactured in the first quarter of 1972. The last launch of the Apollo Program, Apollo 17, was in December 1972
Tele-Dynamics is/was a division of AMBAC.
I have found advertisements for the modem in issues of Computerworld from the ‘70s. One ad reads, “The complete data set is contains on two printed circuit modules that can be plugged into the user’s terminal….”
Computerworld, June 14, 1972, p. 15
Computerworld, October 29, 1975, p. 23
NASA Space Shuttle Telephone Modem Manufacturer Tele-Dynamics Part No Type 7201B-1CD-A Piece is 19" x 14 1/2" x 3 1/2"
- Type 7201B-1CD-R
- TD 45378-511 Rev. C
- S/N 263
- CDC 17232100 Rev. C
The board was purchased at an auction of items from the estate of the late Charles Bell who was an engineer at NASA for many years. The story of Charles Bell is a fascinating one. I wish there was more information about him online. Here are two news articles from when he passed away in 2000: one, two. The second article explains why there is so little information about this device:
"Charles actually went out to launch sites and cut the pads down," auctioneer Dave Manor of Astor, Fla. said Friday, standing amid mountains of NASA pieces collected by Bell during the last 25 years.
Bell's treasures are not catalogued, or organized.
They are just there.
All this NASA hardware is just sitting in a pile in a warehouse in Florida unlabeled, and the auctioneers just make their best guess as to what each piece is.
