1938

From The Space Library

Jack Parsons of Cal Tech conceived value of slow-burning rocket propellant of constant thrust for JATO use, active development of which was undertaken by Cal Tech in 1940.

Vital importance of the factor of duration in pilot's exposure to hypoxia demonstrated in animal experiments by H. G. Armstrong and J. W. Heim.

Heinz von Diringshofen, German scientist, conducted research on human tolerance to multiple g-loads; exposed test subjects to a few seconds of sub-gravity by putting an aircraft through a vertical dive.

British Interplanetary Society member Walter Gillings publishes Winter issue of his Tales of Wonder science fiction magazine. This issue features a 6 page non-fiction feature by ARTHUR C. CLARKE titled "Man's Empire Of To-Morrow" which examines other planets in our solar system with regards to whether life may have evolved there.

1938-39: NACA developed airfoils providing laminar flow to a degree far greater than previously obtainable (based in part upon Ludwig Prandtl's boundary layer theory in NACA Report 116 published in 1921); Eastman N. Jacobs developed low-drag wing sections worthy of special mention.