Engineering topics

Hunley, J. D.

Publications and source records attributed to Hunley, J. D..

5 records

NASA NTRS2000

Flight Research: Problems Encountered and What They Should Teach Us

The document by Milt Thompson that is reproduced here was an untitled rough draft found in Thompson's papers in the Dryden Historical Reference Collection. Internal evidence suggests that it was written around 1974. I have not attempted to second guess what Milt might have done in revising the paper, but I have made some minor stylistic changes to make it more readable without changing the sense of what Milt initially wrote. For the most part, I have not attempted to bring his comments up to date. For readers who may not be familiar with the history of what is today the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center and of its predecessor organizations, I have added a background section.

Thompson, Milton O.↗

NASA NTRS1999

Toward Mach 2: The Douglas D-558 Program

This monograph contains the edited transcript of a symposium marking the 50th anniversary of this aircraft's first flight in 1948. A sister aircraft to the more well-known rocket-powered X-1, the jet-powered D-558 gave NACA researchers many useful insights about the transonic speed range. Several of the original aircraft pilots present accounts of their involvement in the program. Appendices include design specifications for the Douglas D-558-1 and -2 as well as declassified documentation and memoranda (1949-1957) regarding the progress of the program.

Hunley, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1999

The History of Solid-Propellant Rocketry: What We Do and Do Not Know

Contributions to the evolution of solid-propellant rocketry have come from a variety of sources. World War II research on large solids enabled one company to capitalize on work in the area of castable double-base propellants. Separate development of castable composite propellants led to production of Polaris and Minuteman powerplants. Pivotal to the development of these missiles were Edward Hall's advocacy of the Minuteman missile within the Air Force and contract funding to resolve problems. The discovery that adding large amounts of aluminum significantly increased the specific impulse of a castable composite propellant further aided large-missile technology. These separate lines of research led to the development of large solid-propellant motors and boosters. Many more discoveries went into the development of large solid-propellant motors. Ammonium perchlorate replaced potassium perchlorate as an oxidizer in the late 1940's, and binders were developed. Discoveries important in the evolution of large solid-propellant motors appear to have resulted from innovators' education and skills, an exposure to contemporary problems, an awareness of theory but a willingness not to let it dictate empirical investigations, and proper empirical techniques. Other important contributions are the adequate funding and exchange of information. However, many questions remain about these and other innovations.

Hunley, J. D.↗

NASA NTRS1994

An annotated bibliography of the Apollo program

The topics presented include the following: general works, the space race, decisions, Apollo technology, operations, popular culture and promotion, science, astronauts, the management of the Apollo Program, and juvenile literature.

Launius, Roger D.↗

NASA NTRS1993

The birth of NASA: The diary of T. Keith Glennan

In this book, part diary and recollection, T. Keith Glennan--the first administrator of NASA--relates the story of how he and others both inside and outside of the agency worked within the circumstances created by the Sputnik crisis to plan and organize a viable space program that ultimately put 12 Americans on the Moon. In the process, Glennan also reveals a great deal about Eisenhower as a human.

Glennan, Thomas Keith↗