BRINGING THE FUTURE WITHIN REACH Celebrating PDF
Preview BRINGING THE FUTURE WITHIN REACH Celebrating
E F U T URE H W I T T G H I N N I G R N E I Celebrating R A B C H Years of 1941 2016 the NASA John H . G l e n n R e s e a r ch Center 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 Development 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 Aeronautics Expanding ....................................................................................................................207 Titan-Centaur ...................................................................................................................................214 Communications ..............................................................................................................................217 Research Analysis Center ................................................................................................................219 New Perspective ................................................................................................................................220 Endnotes for Chapter 7 ...................................................................................................................223 Chapter 8: Bootstrapping the Center ....................................................................................................229 Recreating Lewis ...............................................................................................................................231 Aeronautic Achievements ................................................................................................................233 New Endeavors in Space ..................................................................................................................240 NASA’s New Mission ......................................................................................................................245 Space Exploration Initiatives ...........................................................................................................248 Lewis’s First 50 Years ........................................................................................................................253 Endnotes for Chapter 8 ...................................................................................................................254 iv John H. Glenn Research Center Chapter 9: Reformation ..........................................................................................................................259 Zero Base Review .............................................................................................................................261 Space Station Transformation ........................................................................................................264 Launch Vehicles Travails .................................................................................................................267 Electric Propulsion in Space ............................................................................................................270 Aeronautics .......................................................................................................................................271 Microgravity Research Blossoms ....................................................................................................279 Physical Downsizing Begins ............................................................................................................285 New Name ........................................................................................................................................286 Endnotes for Chapter 9 ...................................................................................................................289 Chapter 10: Changing Missions .............................................................................................................295 Return to Flight ................................................................................................................................297 Vision Takes Shape ..........................................................................................................................301 Propelling NASA Across Space .....................................................................................................304 Institutional Impacts ........................................................................................................................308 Refocusing the Vision ......................................................................................................................309 Glenn Orion Module Work .............................................................................................................313 Resetting the Space Program ..........................................................................................................316 Aviation Safety ..................................................................................................................................319 The Changing Face of Glenn ...........................................................................................................322 Space Research and Technology .....................................................................................................325 New Day ............................................................................................................................................330 Casting a Keen Eye Back .................................................................................................................332 Endnotes for Chapter 10 .................................................................................................................334 The Future .................................................................................................................................................341 Acknowledgments ....................................................................................................................................343 Bibliographic Essay ...................................................................................................................................345 Glenn History Resources .........................................................................................................................347 List of Images ............................................................................................................................................349 Acronym List .............................................................................................................................................365 Index ...........................................................................................................................................................369 Table of Contents v Foreword A s the ground was broken in 1941 for the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory (which would come to be known as the NASA Glenn Research Center), our predecessors had a solitary goal—to improve the state of aircraft engines. In the 75 years that followed, our goals evolved and multiplied as generations of research- ers pushed the state of the art. Today we are experts in fields of research that had not even been dreamed of in 1941. We have done much more than just “improve the state of aircraft engines.” The engine components, fuels, and materials that we tested to make aircraft fly faster, higher, and more efficiently paved the way for the success of jet engines. Our fuels research was the proving ground for liquid hydrogen, which we managed through the Centaur program for journeys to the Moon and beyond. Our expertise in how fluids and combustion work in space became the foundation for our leading work in micro- gravity science. We find similar connections from the past to the present in all the work that we do. Image 1: Glenn Center Director Jim Free (GRC–2013–C–00197). We continue to lead NASA in propulsion, energy storage and conversion, materials research, and com- munications technology. For our work in these As our areas of research have evolved, one thing has areas and others, we have been awarded with well remained constant—the spirit of service and humility over one hundred R&D 100 Awards (the “Oscars of that characterizes Glenn. For that spirit and for hard Innovation” from R&D Magazine), two Robert J. work, dedication, and innovation, I thank our past Collier Trophies, an Emmy for technical achievement, employees who have brought us here, our current and numerous other recognitions. As our namesake employees who bring pride to Glenn through their John Glenn stated, “Research and development has work today, and employees yet to come, who will been mankind’s most fundamental tool for meet- guide us through the next 75 years. ing and shaping the challenges of the future.” Today we provide key support to NASA’s missions, and the Jim Free impact of our research is felt the world over. Director, Glenn Research Center Foreword vii Image 2: Two women prepare instruments for data recording. The Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory (AERL) significantly increased the number of female employees during World War II (GRC–1944–C–05395).
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