Page 18 - Pakistan Link - August 25, 2023

P18 - PAKISTAN LINK - AUGUST 25, 2023 COMMENTARY
n By Dr Ahmed S. Khan Book & Author things in the air.”
Chicago, IL Reflecting on the objectives and
guidelines of project Mercury, the author
“Science at NASA is all about ex- notes: “From the inception of project
ploring the endless frontier of the Earth Manfred "Dutch" von Ehrenfried: The Mercury to its declared conclusion with
and space…Our country invests a tiny the launch on May 15, 1963, of Gordon
fraction of 1 percent in NASA, and this Cooper’s MA-9 was barely 4 years and 8
is what’s so amazing to me, is with that Birth of NASA —The Work of the Space Task months! There were only three project
small investment, we do so much for the objectives: To place a manned space-
country.” Group —America’s First True Space Pioneers craft in orbital flight around the Earth,
— John M. Grunsfeld to investigate man’s performance capa-
After the Soviet Union’s launch of bilities and his ability to function in the
Sputnik — the world’s first man-made environment of space, to recover the
satellite — on October 4, 1957, the Unit- man and spacecraft safely. There were
ed States responded with the creation only four guidelines to achieve those
of a new agency to manage its civilian three straightforward objectives: Exist-
space program. The National Aeronau- ing technology and off-the-shelf equip-
tics and Space Administration (NASA) ment should be used wherever practical;
was established in 1958 when President the simplest and most reliable approach
Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Na- to system design would be followed; an
tional Aeronautics and Space Act into existing launch vehicle would place the
law on July 29, 1958. To head the new or- spacecraft into orbit; a progressive and
ganization, President Eisenhower nomi- logical test program would be employed.”
nated T. Keith Glennan as administrator Today, many space probes — designed
and Hugh L. Dryden as deputy adminis- with the technology of the 1970s and
trator. After confirmation by the Senate, 1980s — are still exploring deep space
they were sworn in on August 19, 1958. and sending signals back to earth. Com-
NASA’s very first act was to establish menting on how human drive to explore
the Space Task Group (STG) with the has changed the world, the author states:
objective of launching the first Ameri- “The writing of this book was essentially
cans into space. During the past 65 years completed in October 2015, exactly 57
NASA has pioneered new fields of aero- years after the start of the American space
nautics, earth and space science and suc- program in 1958. In that time, there
cessfully completed dozens of space ex- have been several generations of launch
ploration missions. In the 1960s, NASA vehicles and spacecraft. We’ve been to
worked towards carrying out President the Moon, but it has been over 40 years
Kennedy’s visionary challenge: “I believe since humans have been that far into
that this nation should commit itself to space. And the Moon isn’t really all that
achieving the goal, before this decade is far away. Humans are driven to explore; it
out, of landing a man on the moon and themes and space missions: Sputnik organization. I also realized that many of President Eisenhower lots of tough ques- is our nature. The spinoff from that urge
returning him safely to the Earth.” To- reaction (The President, The National the men and women’s families were also tions regarding why America lagged to explore has changed the world. Always
day, NASA is an engine of technological Security Council, The Congress, The De- heavily involved. Everyone supporting behind Russia in launching of satellite. remember, it was the NASA STG that
innovation and a global leader in space partment of Defense and Other Agen- Project Mercury worked very long hours In response to the question: “Mr Presi- paved the way for the American space
exploration. cies), Creation of the Space Task Group and took the work home to the dinner ta- dent, do you think our scientists made a program. So, where are we going now?”
The Birth of NASA —The Work of (The Lewis Contribution, The Goddard ble and often burned the ‘midnight oil.’” mistake in not recognizing that we were, Expounding on the future and pre-
the Space Task Group —America’s First Contribution, The Ames Contribution, In the preface, commenting on the in effect, with Russia — in a race with dicting NASA’s mission to Mars, the au-
True Space Pioneers (2015) by Manfred Wallops Island Contribution, The High role of early pioneers, the author notes: Russia in launching this satellite, and thor observes: “Depending on when that
“Dutch” von Ehrenfried chronicles the Speed Flight Station’s Contribution, “This book should have been written not asking you for top priority and more mission decision is undertaken, it may be
establishment and evolution of NASA White Sands Missile Range Contribu- about half a century earlier! For such a money to speed up the program?” Presi- possible for the mission to occur by 2028.
during last five decades, and narrates the tion, The Arnold Engineering Contribu- great period in space history, more can dent Eisenhower said: “Well, no I don’t, I also predict that the first manned land-
story of the men and women who be- tion), Marshall Space Flight Center, STG be said about the personal contributions because as — even yet, let’s remember ing on either Phobos or Mars will occur
came America’s first true space pioneers Organization (The Directive, Staff Offic- and stories of the early space pioneers this: The value of that satellite around on or about March 30, 2036! That of
after the launch of Sputnik. The author es, Flight Systems Division, Operations who scrambled after the surprise of Sput- the Earth, going around the Earth, is course is just my dream to have the land-
narrates how the Space Task Group Division, Engineering and Contracts nik to start the American space program. still problematical, and you must re- ing on my 100th birthday. When you
(STG) was created, managed, and flew Division, STG Contractors, STG hiring), While I knew many of the people in the member the evolution that our people consider this nation’s great debt and the
Project Mercury and how America be- Project Mercury (Control Center Con- Space Task Group (STG) at the Langley went through and the evolution that the fact that 66% of our GDP goes to pay off
came a space exploring nation. To imple- tractors, Need for more people, Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, others went through. From 1945, when this debt and the out-of-control entitle-
ment the space program, Robert R. Gil- Support, Key Project Mercury Decisions there are hundreds I didn’t know. Even the Russians captured all of the German ment programs, with defense consuming
ruth established the Space Task Group and Lessons Learned: Management, En- then, as a young man, I had little knowl- scientists in Peenemunde, which was another 17%, there is precious little left
(STG) at Langley Field, Virginia, where gineering, Operations, Scientific, Medi- edge of their backgrounds and experi- their great laboratory and experimental for all the other programs, let alone space
Max Faget, Charles Mathews, and James cal), Mission Designs and Concepts, and ences. I was what they now call a ‘newbie.’ grounds for the production of the ballis- exploration. Perhaps 2050 or later is a
Chamberlin served as the first three divi- the Impact of NASA and STG on history. In those more formal days of the 1950s tic missiles they used in WWII, they have more realistic date for a Mars mission.”
sion chiefs. In seven appendices, the author has doc- and early 1960s, we might be addressed centered their attention on the ballistic Commenting on NASA’s Technology
Manfred “Dutch” von Ehrenfried II umented very useful information: STG as ‘young man.’ There were many of us in missile. Originally, our people seemed to Transfer for public benefit, the author
had the extremely good fortune to have Organization lists, charts and manning, our twenties. Our managers were, for the be more interested in the aerodynamic states: “As technology spinoffs emerged
worked at NASA for a number of space Biographies of key NASA people, STG most part, in their late twenties to middle missile, and we have a history of – go- in the Apollo era NASA started to send
missions. For Mercury, Gemini 4-7 Technology, some historic photos, quotes thirties.” ing back for quite a ways – in modest reports to Congress to demonstrate the
Apollo 7 and 8 and Skylab projects the about NASA, and stories and trivia. Expounding on various issues faced research in the intercontinental ballistic results of its Industrial Applications
author worked in the areas of mission Reflecting on the dedicating of the by President Eisenhower leading to the missile, but until there were very great Program. It followed up with its annual
rules, countdowns, operational proce- book to NASA people, the author ob- launch of Sputnik, the author notes: developments in the atomic bomb, it did Spinoff publication. Today, Technology
dures, and coordination with remote serves: “When I first started this book, I “President Dwight Eisenhower was deal- not look profitable and economical to Transfer is a major NASA effort at Head-
tracking station flight controllers. He wanted to dedicate it to the approximate- ing with a lot of major issues even prior pursue that course very much, and our quarters and at each of its field centers.
also worked in the nuclear industry for ly 750 people who were at the Space Task to the events of October 4, 1957. This people did not go into it very earnestly It covers the following areas: Health and
seven years and on the Space Station Pro- Group (STG) at the Langley Research was the period of the Hungarian Upris- until somewhere along about 1953, I Medicine, Transportation, Public Safety,
gram for ten years. He has written several Center between 1958 and 1961, many ing, the Suez Crisis, the McCarthy ‘witch think. Now, so far as this satellite itself Consumer Goods, Energy and Envi-
books about his experiences at NASA. of whom then stayed into 1962. I also hunts,’ schoolchildren practicing ‘Duck is concerned, if we were doing it for sci- ronment, Information Technology, and
The author was a young member wanted to include the small group at the & Cover’ air raid drills, and the riots in ence and not for security, which we were Industrial Productivity…. Even the spi-
of the STG training as a flight control- NACA NASA Headquarters who met at Little Rock Central High School. For doing, I don’t know of any reasons why noffs from the current Mars rovers have
ler in the Mercury Control Center. He the Dolley Madison House to kindle the us, nowadays, to judge Eisenhower’s re- the scientists should have come in and resulted in software imaging technol-
has contacted his former colleagues sparks of a new spaceflight organization sponse to Sputnik, I think it is important urged that we do this before anybody else ogy that can detect heart disease earlier
—many of them in their eighties and and program. These were the people that that the reader have a good understand- could. Now, quite naturally, you will say, than was previously feasible. One trip
nineties — and several NASA historians, I thought of as America’s first true space ing of his position at the time, and in ‘Well, the Soviets gained a great psycho- to a hospital emergency room will open
and researched a plethora of reference pioneers. But then I realized that hun- particular what his advisors were telling logical advantage throughout the world,’ your eyes to space age spinoffs. There are
books to narrate the story of the STG dreds of Langley Research Center scien- him. This will facilitate an appreciation of and I think in the political sense that is books elaborating thousands of spinoffs.

—America’s first true space pioneers. tists, engineers, technicians, tradesmen, why first NASA and then the STG were possibly true. But in the scientific sense it NASA is tapping into the imagination of

secretaries, clerks, and others had also created.” is not true, except for the proof of the one American youth to see what they envis-
The author has skillfully juxtaposed been working hard to support the STG The author has included the text of a thing, that they have got the propellants age for the world by sponsoring essay
history and technical details of various without formally being part of the STG press conference where journalists asked and the projectors that will put these contests.”
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