May 1968

From The Space Library

Karl G. Harr, Jr., President of AIA, commented in spring issue of Aerospace on preliminary report of space applications study being conducted by NASA and NAS. "Concept of funding space research as an investment has not yet found wide acceptance." Intangibility of benefits -renewed national prestige, expanding technological capability, and enormous scientific gain-was to blame. Report indicated, however, that "investment will pay far greater bonus . . . monetary value alone may run into billions." Advantages of applications program superseded dollar value. Potential contributions to "welfare of the planet" included possibilities of greater food availability, enhancement of air safety, more effective management of natural resources, higher general educa­tion level, closer relations among nations with cooperative management of earth's total resources. Opportunity to harvest these gains was pres- ent but "we must pursue . . . program aggressively" by increasing our investment. (Aerospace, Spring 68, 3)

LaRC was conducting operational research program at NASA Wallops Sta­tion to evaluate runway grooving as a means of reducing aircraft hy­droplaning, loss of friction during high-speed landing because of water or slush film. Aircraft landed on specially prepared runways with grooves in wide, % in deep, and I in apart and braking effectiveness was recorded by instruments on aircraft and on ground. Research indi­cated grooving helped to alleviate all known phenomena which resulted in low tire-ground friction, but scientists were concerned that undesira­ble vibrations might be introduced into aircraft. (Langley Researcher, 5/17/68, 4)

Lt. Gen. Ira C. Eaker (USAF, Ret.) wrote in Data he believed sonic boom problem would be eliminated, permitting transcontinental flight and realization of estimated 1,200 SSTs in service by 1990. "No federal pro­gram since World War II had ever had the thorough analysis, careful examination and close scrutiny accorded the present SST plan." (Data, 5/68, 8)

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