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Radiation, Inc.

Radiation, Inc was en electronics company located in Melbourne, Fla. It was founded in 1950 and merged with Harris-Intertpe (now Harris Corporation) in 1967. It specialized in advanced digital communications and data processing systems for the government and government contractors.

History

Radiation was founded in 1950 by Homer Denius and George Shaw. At the time they worked at Melpar, Inc., in northern Virginia. Denius and Shaw presented plans to the Melpar management for expansion into instrumentation, specifically telemetry. Melpar rejected this proposal, so they decided to try it on their own. They chose Melbourne, Florida as a site, because of its proximity to Cape Canaveral and its missile range activities. Melbourne also offered the virtue of inexpensive space in buildings at the Melbourne airport, dating to its World War II service as a Naval Air Station.

The name referred to electromagnetic radiation, that is, communications by radio, not atomic radiation.

The company soon developed expertise in several areas, including: PCM telemetry systems (airborne and ground),digital data acquisition and processing systems, and large tracking antenna.

In 1967, Radiation was merged with Harris-Intertype, a printing equipment manufacturer in Cleveland, Ohio. Subsequently, the company was renamed Harris Corporation, now a communications company, and moved its headquarters to Melbourne.

Facilities

Radiation began in several World War II buildings at the Melbourne airport. By November 1954, it occupied several buildings in Orlando, 50 miles or so from Melbourne. In 1959 Radiation established a Space Communications Division in Mountain View, California, and in 1960 Levinthal Electronics in nearby Palo Alto. Both the Orlando and California operations were later consolidated with the Melbourne operations. In 1959, Radiation broke ground on a new facility in Palm Bay, and by the end of the year were occupying the first three buildings of what eventually became a large complex there. Some buildings in Melbourne are also used.

Significant Programs

Radiation made important contributions to a number of important programs and technologies. The first large (60 foot) tracking antennas capable of tracking fast moving objects (like rockets and guided missiles) were built by Radiation. Developments included two antenna in Asmara, Ethopia, for tracking Russian launchers and spacecraft, and a 150 footer still used today on Kwajalein atoll. Radiation was an early leader in digital (PCM) telemetry. From 1959 through 1966, Radiation built PCM systems for at least 11 customers and programs, including one aircraft program, one jet engine program, two guided missile programs, four unmanned satellite programs, two manned space programs and one 600 mphh sled. Radiation also built space-deployable antenna for a number of satellite programs. Radiation was responsible for all of the space electronics in Corona, an important photo-reconnaissance satellite. In 1964, Radiation built a computer printer which printed at 60,000 characters per second, then the world's fastest printer.