1951

From The Space Library

NACA Lewis Laboratory completed first rocket combustion tests using the high-energy propellant liquid fluorine as an oxidant.

Production of J-65 Sapphire turbojet engine begun by Curtiss Wright, later fitted in some instances with afterburner in F-84F. B-57, FJ-3, F11F-1, and A4D-1.

USAF initiated development of liquid-propellant rocket engine with thrust of 150,000 pounds (XLR 43- NA-3).

NACA's A. Scott Crossfield first flew a series of aerodynamic parabolas to produce a short period of weightlessness, In a YF-84 at Edwards AFB. Calif. Maj. Charles E. Yeager (USAF) also flew some of these so-called "Keplerian trajectories."

Air passenger-miles (10,679,281,000) exceeded total passenger-miles traveled in Pullman cars (10,224,714,000), the first time in U.S. history.

Spring 1951 first issue of "10 Story Fantasy" is published by Avon Periodicals of New York and includes the first appearance of Sentinel of Eternity a short story by Arthur C. Clarke. The story would be the basis for 2001: A Space Odyssey.