1946

From The Space Library

Signal Corps by radio-echo transmissions between the Earth and the Moon, proved radio transmission across space was feasible with moderate power.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory under Army Ordnance contract developed the field of solid-propellant rocketry such as castable propellants, case bonding techniques, and radial burning techniques.

Daniel Guggenheim Medal for 1946 awarded to Frank Whittle for development of jet propulsion engines.

Program of transonic and hypersonic free-flight research on ramjet and rocket-propelled test vehicles launched from piloted aircraft inaugurated at NAM Lewis Laboratory.

Commandant of the School of Aviation Medicine, Col. H. G. Armstrong, and the AAF Air Surgeon, Brig. Gen. M. C. Grow, proposed establishment of aeromedical center for research and teaching.

Office of Naval Research contracted with General Mills for construction of a cluster of 100 plastic balloons for high altitude atmosphere research (Project Helios).

During Fall: Reaction Motors began design and development of rocket engine for the Navy Viking sounding rocket.

During 1946-47: Transonic bump technique-using floor- or wall-mounted airfoil surface in subsonic wind tunnel to get transonic flow-developed in 7- by 10-foot wind tunnel at NACA Langley Laboratory. A similar development was conducted by Lockheed in the California Cooperative Tunnel during the same period. This technique was a logical step from the earlier wing-flow technique developed by the Langley Flight Research Division, and it permitted testing in the range of Mach numbers from low subsonic to Mach 1.2 until the slotted-throat transonic tunnel was developed and put into operation at Langley 2 years later.