FUTURE W THE ITH G IN IN R G E N A I C R Celebrating H B 1941 Years of 2016 Center esearch lenn R the NASA John H. G Written by ROBERT S. ARRIGHI NASA/SP—2016-627 Bringing the Future Within Reach— Celebrating 75 Years of the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center By: Robert S. Arrighi National Aeronautics and Space Administration Glenn Research Center Cleveland, Ohio 44135 February 2016 Available from NASA STI Program National Technical Information Service Mail Stop 148 5285 Port Royal Road NASA Langley Research Center Springfield, VA 22161 Hampton, VA 23681-2199 703-605-6000 This report is available in electronic form at http://www.sti.nasa.gov/and http://ntrs.nasa.gov/ Table of Contents Foreword ...................................................................................................................................................... vii Preface ........................................................................................................................................................... ix Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1 Overview ................................................................................................................................................ 4 History Lessons .................................................................................................................................... 5 Endnotes for Introduction ................................................................................................................... 7 Chapter 1: Rising From the Mud ............................................................................................................... 9 Groundwork for an Engine Laboratory ..........................................................................................12 Building the Laboratory .....................................................................................................................14 Completing the Job .............................................................................................................................23 Endnotes for Chapter 1 .....................................................................................................................28 Chapter 2: Keeping Them Flying .............................................................................................................31 Running the Lab .................................................................................................................................34 Wartime in Ohio ................................................................................................................................36 Wartime Investigations ......................................................................................................................42 Emergence of the Turbojet ................................................................................................................51 Endnotes for Chapter 2 .....................................................................................................................55 Chapter 3: Setting Forth ............................................................................................................................59 Postwar Adjustments .........................................................................................................................62 Jet Propulsion ......................................................................................................................................66 Backbone of the Laboratory ..............................................................................................................69 Chasing the Icing Clouds ...................................................................................................................71 Supersonic Missile Research .............................................................................................................78 Rocket Combustion ...........................................................................................................................82 Endnotes for Chapter 3 .....................................................................................................................85 Chapter 4: Breakthrough ...........................................................................................................................89 New Directions ...................................................................................................................................91 Nuclear Aircraft .................................................................................................................................94 Flight Safety ........................................................................................................................................97 Jet Propulsion ....................................................................................................................................102 Large Supersonic Wind Tunnels ....................................................................................................106 High-Energy Propellants .................................................................................................................110 Endnotes for Chapter 4 ...................................................................................................................116 Chapter 5: Challenges of Space ..............................................................................................................121 Kickstarting the Space Program .....................................................................................................124 Project Mercury ................................................................................................................................128 Reaching Forth ..................................................................................................................................133 Table of Contents iii Bringing the Future Within Reach—Celebrating 75 Years Chapter 5 Continued Expansion ..........................................................................................................................................134 Electric Propulsion ...........................................................................................................................142 Nuclear Propulsion ..........................................................................................................................145 Taming Liquid Hydrogen ................................................................................................................147 The evelopmentD Side .....................................................................................................................150 Endnotes for Chapter 5 ...................................................................................................................156 Chapter 6: Limitless Opportunities .......................................................................................................161 Zero Gravity Demonstration ..........................................................................................................163 Reappearance of Aeronautics ..........................................................................................................164 New Materials ...................................................................................................................................168 Interactive Computing .....................................................................................................................169 Lewis Reaches Out ...........................................................................................................................170 A New Generation of Space Missions ...........................................................................................173 Emergence of Space Power ..............................................................................................................177 Aerospace Safety ...............................................................................................................................180 Giants at Plum Brook Station .........................................................................................................182 Departures .........................................................................................................................................185 Endnotes for Chapter 6 ...................................................................................................................186 Chapter 7: Crisis .......................................................................................................................................191 Turbulent Skies ................................................................................................................................194 Pollution Monitoring .......................................................................................................................194 AWARENESS .................................................................................................................................198 Energy Systems for Earth ................................................................................................................200 Space Technology Hits the Road ....................................................................................................206