Memorial Tributes Volume 17 (2013) / Chapter Skim
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ABE SILVERSTEIN
ABE SILVERSTEIN
Pages 284-295
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From page 285... ...
He was instrumental in the design of a massive subsonic wind tunnel (the Full-Scale Tunnel) , study of complete engine systems, development of the nation's early jet engines and ramjets, creation of large supersonic wind tunnels, use of liquid hydrogen as a propellant, the foundation of NASA, formation of the Mercury and Apollo Programs, the success of the Centaur secondstage rocket, and a great deal more.
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From page 286... ...
He soon accepted a position at the NACA Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory in Hampton, Virginia. Despite his mechanical engineering degree, Abe was assigned to the aerodynamics group to help Smith DeFrance's team design a massive new test facility, the Full-Scale Tunnel (FST)
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From page 287... ...
Abe transferred to the AERL in the fall of 1943 just as the AWT was being completed. Soon thereafter, he was asked to meet secretly with Colonel Donald Keirn to discuss testing the nation's first jet aircraft, the Bell YP-59A Airacomet.
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From page 288... ...
Following the 1949 Unitary Plan Act, Abe and his colleagues began designing what is still today the nation's largest propulsion tunnel, the 10′ x 10′ Supersonic Wind Tunnel. In 1949, Abe was named chief of research for the entire lab (the AERL had been renamed the NACA Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory)
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From page 289... ...
In 1953 Abe asked Eldon Hall to run a series of calculations to determine the parameters for the use of liquid hydrogen as an aircraft fuel. Their report foretold of liquid hydrogen missions that far surpassed those using traditional hydrocarbon fuels.
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From page 290... ...
The Saturn Vehicle Team, informally termed the "Silverstein Committee," was created in late 1959 to select upper stages for the Saturn rocket. While serving on this team, Abe was able to persuade Wernher von Braun to consider stages that could use liquid hydrogen; during the initial discussions, he had Eldon Hall make the technical arguments for hydrogen.
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From page 291... ...
Abe later claimed that he had been asked to either assume the top Apollo position or to serve as head of the new Manned Spacecraft Center in Houston. Disagreeing with the new organizational structure, Abe instead requested to be appointed to the vacant center director position in Cleveland.
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From page 292... ...
In the early 1950s, he pulled the turbine and compressor experts into the new field of nuclear propulsion; and in the 1960s, many in the rocket programs had jet engine backgrounds. Abe had been involved early on with turbojets and supersonics.
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From page 293... ...
Abe contributed to at least 50 technical reports during his career and presented many significant papers. He presented a paper to the Institute of Aeronautical Sciences annual meeting in January 1939, provided findings of in-depth turbojet engine studies at General Electric's Aircraft Gas Turbine Engineering Conference in May 1945, was the American representative to the Joint Meeting of the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences and the Royal Aeronautical Society in London in 1947, delivered the annual Wright Brothers Lecture before the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences in 1948, delivered the 49th Wilbur Wright Memorial Lecture in London in 1961, presented a paper to the International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences
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From page 294... ...
Hill Space Transportation Award of the AIAA in 1967, and the Boy Scout Silver Beaver Award, NASA Distinguished Service Medal, and Rockefeller Public Service Award in 1968. In 1997, Abe received the prestigious Guggenheim Medal for his "technical contributions and visionary leadership in advancing technology of aircraft and propulsion performance, and foresight in establishing the Mercury and Apollo manned space flight activities." In 1994, the 10′ x 10′ Supersonic Wind Tunnel was renamed to honor Abe: its official name is now the Abe Silverstein 10′ x 10′ Supersonic Wind Tunnel.
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From page 295... ...
Although he is best known for his efforts in the establishment of NASA in the late 1950s, his contributions to World War II piston aircraft, early jet and ramjet propulsion, high-energy fuels, the design of test facilities, and the airline industry are also important. He expected high levels of performance from himself and his staff.
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