DOCUMENT RESUME ED 310 941 SE 050 888 AUTHOR Bilstein, Roger E. TITLE Orders of Magnitude. A History of the NACA and NASA, 1915-1990. The NASA History Series. INSTITUTION National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Washington, DC. Scientific and Technical ihrormation Branch. REPORT NO NASA-SP4406 PUB DATE 89 NOTE 171p.; Photographs may not reproduce well. AVAILABLE FROMSuperintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402 ($6.00). PUB TYPE Books (010) -- Historical Materials (060) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC07 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS *Aerospace Technology; *Satellites (Aerospace); Science and Society; *Science History; *Science Laterials; *Scientific Personnel; Scientific Research; *Space Exploration; Space Sciences IDENTIFIERS *National Aeronautics and Space Administration ABSTRACT This is a history of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and its successor agency the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Main chapters included are: (1) "NACA Origins (1915-1930)"; (2) "New Facilities, New Designs (1930-1945)"; (3) "Going Supersonic (1945-1958)"; (4) "On the Fringes of Space (1958-1964)"; (5) "Tortoise Becomes Fare (1964-1969)" (including the landing on the moon); (6) "Aerospace Dividends (1969-1973)" (describing the era in which many science programs were cut after the Apollo mission); (7) "On the Eve of Shuttle (1973-1980)"; (8) "Aerospace Flights (1980-1986)"; (9) "New Directions (since 1986)" (describing the area of astronautics, aeronautics and spinoff); and (10) "Summary." An appendix contains a bibliographic essay related to the history of NACA and NASA. (YP) *le*************X******************t********************************A*** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * from the original document. * *********************************************************************** Ordersof Magnitude A Historyofthe NACA and NASA, 1915-1990 3 NASA SP-4406 Orders of Magnitude A Historyofthe NACA and NASA, 1915-1990 by Roger E. Bilstein The NASA History Series National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Management WAS Scientific and Technical Information Division Washington, DC 1989 CONTENTS Page Foreword vii Preface ix NACA Origins (1915-1930) New Facilities, New Designs (1930-1945) 15 Going Supersonic (1945-1958) 31 On the Fringes of Space (1958-1964) 49 Tortoise Becomes Hare (1964-1969) 73 Aerospace Dividends (1969-1973) 93 On the Eve of Shuttle (1973-1980) 107 Aerospace Flights (1980-1986) 123 New Directions (since 1986) 137 Summary 149 Bibliographic Essay 151 Index 157 NASA maintains an internal history program for two principal reasons il) Sponsorship of research in NASA-related history is one way in which NASA respor,is to the provision of the National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 that requires NASA to provide for the widest practicable and appropriate dissemination of information concerning its activities and the results thereof. 12) Thoughtful study of NASA history can help agency managers accom- plish the missions assigned to the ac,ency Understanding NASA s past aids in understand- ing its present situation and illuminates possible future directions The opinions and conclusions set forth in this book are those of the author, no official of the agency necessarily endorses those opinions or conclusions Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Bilstein, Roger E. Orders of magnitude. (NASA SP ; 4406)(The NASA history series) Rev. ed. of:Orders of magnitude / by Frank W. Anderson, Jr. Bibliography:p. 151 Includes index. 1. United States. National Advisory Committee for AeronauticsHistory.2. United States. National Aeronauts a and Space Administration History.I. Anderson, Frank Walter. Orders of magnitude.II. Title.III. Series.IV. Series: NASA history series. TL521.312.B56 1989 353.0087'8 89-9302 For sale by the Supaintendent of DocUments, U.S. Govcnuncnt Printing Office Washington, DIC 20402 6 FOREWORD This is the third edition of Orders of Magnitude,a concise history of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) andits successor agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Ata time when Amer- ican pride has been restored by the return of the Space Shuttleto flight, this edition reminds us of our first departures from the surface ofthe Earth and commemorates the 75th anniversary of the creation of the NACAour first national institution for the advance of powered human flightIn less than half a century America progressed from the sandy hills of Kitty Hawk along the Atlantic Ocean into the vast "new ocean" of space Thepace of technological change necessary for such voyages has been so rapid, especiallyin the last quarter century, that it is easy to forget the extent to which aeronautical researchand developmentwhether in propulsion, structures, materials,or control systems have provided the fundamental basis for efficient and reliablecivil and military flight capabilities Thus it is fitting that this edition of NASAs Orders of Magnitude not only updates the historical record, but restores aeronauticsto its due place in the history of the agency and of mankind'smost fascinating and continuing voyage. Perspective comes with the passage of time Eventssince the last edition of Orders of Magnitude (1980) suggest that this nation's abilityto sustain the enthusi- asm and the commitment of public resources necessary fora vigorous national space program can, like the phases of our nearest celestial neighbor,wax and wane The Apollo-Saturn vehicle that carried the first humans to the Moonwas lofted not only by a remarkable mobilization ofengineering research and know- how, but by the political will of a nation startled by theSoviet Union s display of space technology with Sputnik 1, launched 4 October 1957. Universitiesand industry joined their considerable talents with NASA'sto carry out the Apollo program's epoch-making exploratory missions ina truly national effort. But responsiveness to changing national coacernsis a hallmark of democratic ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE government and the United States preoccupations .hefted to more earthbound concerns even before the Apullu program was completed Public concerns such as en3.rgy resources. the environment. guns and butter, and lbwl restraint grew as a maturing aerospace technology broadened NASA s mission as well as its rationale Developed as a more economicdldpprodch to routine space travel than throw away boosters, the Space Transportation System with its reusable Shuttle orbiter was only one of NASA s post-Apollo programs that reflected the new political climate of the 1970s and early 1980s, As we approach the 1990s, however. my sense is that the nation s interest in space exploration and exploitation, following a roller waster of public interest (apathy, competing priorities, a brief moment in the sun with the pride of recovery) is on the brink of a period of such excitement. discovery. and wonder as to make the Apollo period pale in comparison The scheduled voyages to Venus and Jupiter. the launch of the Great Observatories like the Hubble Space Tele- scope, the establishment of a permanent human presence in space with the space station Freedom, the development of a takeoff-to-orbit aircraftthe National Aerospace Plane), and the beginnings of engineering solutions to the tech- nological requirements fur expanding a human presence further into the solar system portend an era in which America. and indeed the world, will be bombarded with knowledge about the universe through which we pass so fleetingly. That knowledge, garnered in the finest traditions of intellectual endeavor that have characterized the history of the NACA and NASA, will foster a new vitality that will raise to new heights the cyclical pattern of public support for a strong national civil aeronautics and space program. While most of us are caught up in the changing events of each passing day, historyas this new edition of Orders of Magnitude, A History of the NACA and NASA. 1915-1990 attestsreminds us of the continuities amid change and of our debt to those who have brought us the capability to write the next chapter in the history of humans out of Earth s bounds. H. Hollister Cantus Associate Administrator for External Relations National Aeronautics and Space Administration February 1987-November 1988 8 viii PREFACE In 1965, Eugene M Emme, historian for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). wrote a brief survey of theagency entitled Histonval Sketch of NASA (EP-29) It served its purpose asa succinct overview useful for Federal personnel, new NASA employees, and inquiries from the general public. Because people were so curious about the nascent space program, the text emphasized astronautics By 1976, a revision was in order, undertaken by Frank W. Anderson, lr,publications manager of the NASA History Office. Witha different title, Orders of Magnitude A History of NACA and NASA, 1915-1980 (SP-4404 thenew version gave more attention to NASA's predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), although astronautics was still accorded the lions share of the text After a second printing. Anderson prepareda revised version, published in 1980, which carried the NASA story up to the threshold of Space Shuttle launches. Anderson retired from NASA in 1980. As NASA approached the 75th anniversary of its NACA origins in 1915, a further updating of Orders of Magnitude seemed in order. In addition to its original audience, the book had been useful as a quick