NASA At 50NASA At 50By: Ian McCordBy: Ian McCord

1958: Project 1958: Project Mercury BeginsMercury Begins

Project Mercury was the Project Mercury was the first time the USA sent a first time the USA sent a man into space. It was a man into space. It was a phenomenal moment of phenomenal moment of discovery for the discovery for the structure of the structure of the spacecraft. The blunt spacecraft. The blunt bottom design by Max bottom design by Max Faget could resist intense Faget could resist intense heat and drag. The heat and drag. The Mercury spacecraft Mercury spacecraft design was also used in design was also used in the Gemini and Apollo the Gemini and Apollo programs.programs.

1959: X-15 Aircraft 1959: X-15 Aircraft Makes Its First Makes Its First

FlightFlight

The X-15 was a very big The X-15 was a very big confidence booster confidence booster because it got up to mach because it got up to mach 6 and won many medals 6 and won many medals for going mach 4, mach 5, for going mach 4, mach 5, and mach 6. The builders and mach 6. The builders of the X-15 had to make of the X-15 had to make the metal more heat the metal more heat resistant. Tresistant. They did this by changing hey did this by changing the metal shell to the metal shell to titanium and adding a titanium and adding a liquid that would boil and liquid that would boil and evaporate and take the evaporate and take the heat away with it.heat away with it.

1960: Transonic 1960: Transonic Dynamics Tunnel Dynamics Tunnel Begins OperationBegins OperationThe TDT was built The TDT was built because at this period in because at this period in time when planes would time when planes would reach high speeds the reach high speeds the wings on the plane would wings on the plane would “flutter” or sometimes “flutter” or sometimes even break off. The TDT even break off. The TDT was kind of like a test was kind of like a test area because people area because people would put the planes in would put the planes in the TDT to see how safe the TDT to see how safe the plane was and how the plane was and how they should fix it. The TDT they should fix it. The TDT has conducted over 500 has conducted over 500 tests on 26 commercial tests on 26 commercial and military aircrafts.and military aircrafts.

1961: Flexible 1961: Flexible Wing Design Used Wing Design Used for Hang Glidersfor Hang Gliders

The flexible wing was an The flexible wing was an invention not even invention not even started at NASA. The man started at NASA. The man who built it started to who built it started to construct it at his home. construct it at his home. The flexible wing design The flexible wing design was almost going to was almost going to replace the parachute replace the parachute because this design made because this design made it easier for astronauts to it easier for astronauts to control the capsule on re-control the capsule on re-entry. Even though the entry. Even though the design was not used for design was not used for that purpose, it is used that purpose, it is used for the fun sport of hang for the fun sport of hang gliding. gliding.

1962: Project 1962: Project Gemini begins Gemini begins

Project Gemini a bunch Project Gemini a bunch of tests to see what of tests to see what happens when you get happens when you get into space. Even though into space. Even though project Gemini is not project Gemini is not talked about as much as talked about as much as the Apollo and Mercury the Apollo and Mercury missions, it was very missions, it was very critical that this had to critical that this had to work out or those events work out or those events wouldn’t exist. Project wouldn’t exist. Project Gemini was named after Gemini was named after the Gemini constellation . the Gemini constellation .

Gemini launch 4

1963: Lifting Body 1963: Lifting Body Design Concept Design Concept

TestedTestedThe lifting body The lifting body concept brought concept brought three new things to three new things to the space craft the space craft design. One was that design. One was that this airplane had no this airplane had no wings. Two was it wings. Two was it gave the astronauts a gave the astronauts a softer landing softer landing method. Three this method. Three this gave NASA a reusable gave NASA a reusable spacecraft.spacecraft.

The researchers at NASA The researchers at NASA finally realized that the finally realized that the space crafts they were space crafts they were using were too expensive using were too expensive and not reusable. and not reusable. President Nixon President Nixon authorized the space authorized the space shuttle program to build a shuttle program to build a space shuttle that could space shuttle that could be reused on quick be reused on quick notice. The NASA space notice. The NASA space shuttle program is set for shuttle program is set for retirement in May 2010.retirement in May 2010.

1972: Nixon Authorizes Space Shuttle Program

1976: Viking 1976: Viking Landers Touch Landers Touch Down on MarsDown on Mars When the Landers When the Landers

touched down on Mars touched down on Mars they began to conduct they began to conduct experiments and take experiments and take photos. Some of the photos. Some of the experiments they experiments they conducted were to see if conducted were to see if there were possible life there were possible life forms or not, and some forms or not, and some of the photos showed of the photos showed possible river beds. It was possible river beds. It was said that we learned more said that we learned more about Mars in the first about Mars in the first five minutes after the five minutes after the Landers touched down on Landers touched down on Mars than the previous Mars than the previous five hundred years.five hundred years.

1985: Research 1985: Research Begins on Wind Shear Begins on Wind Shear

Detection SystemDetection System

This detection system was a “cure” for wind shear because the pilot could now know about wind shear 40 seconds In advance . This radar is now in most planes around the world. These wind bursts mostly happen during thunder storms and such and now planes don’t fly in thunder storms or bad weather to avoid chances of wind shear.

1987: Icing 1987: Icing Research Tunnel Research Tunnel Designated as Designated as

Historic LandmarkHistoric Landmark

This tunnel was like the This tunnel was like the TDT because they were TDT because they were both research tunnels and both research tunnels and they both tested on air they both tested on air planes . The Icing planes . The Icing research tunnel was a research tunnel was a tunnel that would tunnel that would recreate a plane flying at recreate a plane flying at high speeds with cold high speeds with cold and damp air to test how and damp air to test how to get frozen ice off the to get frozen ice off the wings. During World War wings. During World War II the Allies lost more II the Allies lost more than 1,000 planes over than 1,000 planes over the Himalayan Mountains the Himalayan Mountains due to icingdue to icing

1994: GPS Satellite 1994: GPS Satellite Constellation Constellation CompletedCompleted The GPS is a way to

find out where you are on this planet or in it’s atmosphere. There are 24 satellites in the GPS orbit. 12 will be above you at all times and 12 will be on the other side of the earth. The GPS receiver will find the four closest satellites to you, do a series of mathematic equations and find your position. The GPS has worked it’s way into cars, planes, computers, and even some cell phones.

GPS reserve GPS satellites

1998: Work 1998: Work Begins to Begins to

Preserve Charters Preserve Charters of Freedomof FreedomThis was more like an

“operation” NASA performed on a piece of really old and important paper. They had to figure out a way to see why mysterious white spots would appear on the charters of freedom. They did this by freezing a small corner of the document and using “paper laser surgery”.

1999: HELIOS 1999: HELIOS Prototype Makes Prototype Makes

Its First FlightIts First Flight The HELIOS is a low cost The HELIOS is a low cost eco friendly satellite. eco friendly satellite. When satellites are When satellites are launched into space they launched into space they are there for good so are there for good so their technology gets old. their technology gets old. The HELIOS could land The HELIOS could land and get the newest and get the newest technology. The HELIOS technology. The HELIOS was also made to fly for was also made to fly for weeks or months at a weeks or months at a time by harnessing the time by harnessing the suns power and by using suns power and by using motors at night.motors at night.

2001: MISSE 2001: MISSE Containers Attached Containers Attached

to International to International Space StationSpace Station

MISSE is like another MISSE is like another research center except research center except it’s in space. Astronauts it’s in space. Astronauts will go up and test how will go up and test how earth materials react in earth materials react in space. Then a year or so space. Then a year or so later they will get picked later they will get picked up and return to earth up and return to earth and test if anything has and test if anything has changed about the object. changed about the object.

2002: Low-2002: Low-Temperature Temperature

Oxidation Catalysts Oxidation Catalysts Developed for Developed for

Commercial UseCommercial Use

NASA took an already NASA took an already made invention and made made invention and made it better. The catalytic it better. The catalytic converter was put into converter was put into cars to change gases to cars to change gases to not as harmful gases but not as harmful gases but the converter would have the converter would have to be hot to do the to be hot to do the converting. NASAs low converting. NASAs low temperature converter temperature converter would start to convert the would start to convert the gases almost as soon as gases almost as soon as the car was turned on . the car was turned on .

2004: X-43A Sets 2004: X-43A Sets Speed Record for Jet-Speed Record for Jet-

Powered AircraftPowered Aircraft

This aircraft was another This aircraft was another huge leap in aircraft huge leap in aircraft technology. This plane set technology. This plane set the speed record of mach the speed record of mach 10 and scientists hope to 10 and scientists hope to branch of this and even branch of this and even make it possible to go the make it possible to go the speed of light. This speed of light. This hypersonic flight speed hypersonic flight speed would make a modern day would make a modern day flight a whole lot quicker flight a whole lot quicker and also safer. and also safer.

2005: Huygens 2005: Huygens Probe Reaches Probe Reaches

Titan's Titan's AtmosphereAtmosphere

One of Saturn's moons One of Saturn's moons Titian is interesting Titian is interesting because it has an because it has an atmosphere similar to atmosphere similar to early earth. Also Titian’s early earth. Also Titian’s molecular structure itself molecular structure itself is like earth’s. The is like earth’s. The Huygens mission will be Huygens mission will be on Saturn and on a few on Saturn and on a few of its moons including of its moons including Titian.Titian.

2007: Phoenix 2007: Phoenix Lander Sent to Lander Sent to

MarsMars This is another This is another mission to Mars mission to Mars that was that was supposed to dig supposed to dig deeper into the deeper into the red planet into red planet into it’s ice layer. This it’s ice layer. This will help us study will help us study about life forms about life forms on Mars. The on Mars. The Phoenix landed on Phoenix landed on Mars on May 27 Mars on May 27 2008 but we have 2008 but we have lost contact with lost contact with it.it.