Quieting the Boom: The Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstrator and the Quest for Quiet Supersonic Flight

Lawrence R. Benson

National Aeronautis & Space Administration

Chapter 1 reviews the life of NASA aerodynamicist Robert T. Jones and 
his path to the oblique wing. Chapter 2 covers the extensive wind tunnel, 
model, computer-code, and simulation testing, first at Langley and later at 
Ames, as well as a number of NASA industry design contracts undertaken 
by Boeing and Lockheed. Chapter 3 reviews the design and fabrication of 
the AD-1 Oblique Wing Research Aircraft and its subsequent proposed 
use as a joined-wing demonstrator. Chapter 4 describes the flight testing 
and flight evaluation of the AD-1. Chapter 5 reviews the supersonic 
F-8 followup oblique-wing program. And, finally, chapter 6 reviews the 
subsequent oblique-wing plans and proposals.

Thinking Obliquely: Robert T. Jones, the Oblique Wing, NASA's AD-1 Demonstrator, and its Legacy

Bruce I. Larrimer

The huge Langley Full-Scale Tunnel building dominated the skyline of Langley Air Force Base for 81 years (1930–2011). The Full-Scale Tunnel was constructed by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) during an era when biplanes and dirigibles dominated aviation. The results of critical tests conducted within its massive test section contributed to many of the Nation's most important aeronautics and space programs. The historical significance of the Full-Scale Tunnel was formally recognized when it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1985 by the National Park Service.

Cave of the Winds: The Remarkable History of the Langley Full-Scale Wind Tunnel

Science & Math

Chambers, Joseph R.

Astronomy & Space Science

The X-31 was unique in the world of experimental or X-airplanes. It was the only X-plane that was designed, manufactured, and flight tested as an international effort; a joint effort of the United States and Germany. It also was the only X-plane that supported two separate test programs, one run largely by NASA and the other by the U. S. Navy that were conducted years apart with the aircraft in storage between them. The X-31 was the only X-plane to perform at the Paris Air Show.

Flying Beyond the Stall: The X-31 and the Advent of Supermaneuverability

Joyce, Douglas A.

A comprehensive case study covering all aspects of the F-16XL saga from its early conceptual design—including wind tunnel and ground testing, computer simulations, and program advocacy—through construction of the two prototypes and their use in both the Air Force flight demonstration effort and NASA aeronautical research. As much a NASA story as it is an Air Force and General Dynamics/Lockheed Martin story, the F-16XL is one of the most elegant American fighters ever built.

Elegance in Flight: A comprehensive History of the F-16XL Experimental Prototype and its Role in NASA Flight Research

Piccirillo, Albert C.

Note: Black &amp; White print. Over the span of more than six decades, the U-2 evolved from a relatively basic, high-altitude camera platform for performing clandestine reconnaissance missions into a complex, multisensor platform that has been adapted for a multitude of civil and military roles. Variants in more than a dozen configurations have been used for intelligence gathering, strategic and tactical reconnaissance, communications relay, battle-damage assessment, treaty monitoring and verification, disaster relief, environmental and Earth resources studies, and a wide variety of scientific research. Born of a Cold War necessity to maintain the balance of power between East and West, the U-2 now serves equally well as a high-altitude tool for tracking terrorists in the mountains of Afghanistan or for tracking the migration of destructive spruce bark beetles through the forests of Alaska.

Unlimited Horizons: Design and Development of the U-2

Merlin, Peter W.

Over the course of their histories, the NACA and NASA have developed a wide variety of emblems representing each agency’s illustrious exploration of aerospace missions. This publication concentrates on the rich and interesting history of the conception and implementation of the world-famous NACA and NASA seals and insignias that have been displayed for decades on aeronautics and space research vehicles and facilities, as well as those proudly worn by flight research pilots, astronauts, and the dedicated employees of these two world-class organizations.

Emblems of Exploration: Logos of the NACA and NASA

Chambers, Mark A.

Black &amp; White print. Following the first volume of Walking to Olympus: An EVA Chronology, which recounted the period from the first spacewalks in 1965 to the end of the Shuttle-Mir program in 1997, this second volume of Walking to Olympus spans the period from 1997 to the end of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011. It includes not only spacewalks performed by American and European astronauts and the Russian/Soviet cosmonauts, but also those of the newest members of the EVA community, the taikonauts of the People’s Republic of China. Several key events and themes from this period include the building of the ISS, the servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope, and the STS-107 Columbia accident. The publication of this second EVA chronology follows two major anniversaries of significance to the spaceflight community: the 50th anniversary of the first EVA and the 25th anniversary of the Hubble Space Telescope. The phrase “Walking to Olympus” is a symbolic expression of humans inevitably landing on Mars and exploring the planet, including Olympus Mons, the largest volcano in our solar system.

Walking to Olympus: An EVA Chronology, 1997–2011 (Volume 2)

Ta, Julie B.

Treviño, Robert C.

Note: Black & White print. NASA has a long tradition of interacting closely with and inviting advice from the scientific community, which is integral to the culture of its scientific programs. In this newly published monograph, the author looks at two main sources of scientific advice: the NASA Advisory Committee structure and the National Academy of Sciences’ Space Studies Board. As a former executive director of the latter organization, Joe Alexander is well-positioned to flesh out this subject from its roots in NASA’s predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), to the mid-2010s. Alexander’s assessments of NASA’s interactions with outside scientific advisors provide useful lessons for research managers, decision makers, and scientists. Finally, Alexander discusses the recurring characteristics of notably successful advisory activities and provides a glimpse of what past experience might imply for the future of scientific advice at NASA.

Science Advice to NASA: Conflict, Consensus, Partnership, Leadership

Alexander, Joseph K.

Making the Invisible Visible: A History of the Spitzer Infrared Telescope Facility (1971–2003)

Rottner, Renee M.

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