Abe Silverstein
Encyclopedia
Abraham "Abe" Silverstein (September 15, 1908 — June 1, 2001) was an American engineer who played an important part in the United States space program. He was a longtime manager at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
(NACA). He was instrumental in the planning of the Apollo, Ranger
, Mariner
, Surveyor
, and Voyager
missions.
, Silverstein earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering
(1929) and an Master of Engineering
(1934) from the Rose Polytechnic Institute
in his hometown.
to be built in Cleveland, Ohio
as the Lewis Laboratory
(later, the Lewis Research Center, and now known as Glenn Research Center). While at Langley, he directed important aerodynamic research which led to increased high-speed performance of most of the combat aircraft of World War II
. In 1944 he joined the NACA High-Speed panel and advocated the supersonic wind tunnel, completed in 1949. Following World War II, Silverstein was responsible for the conception, design, and construction of America's first supersonic propulsion wind tunnels. The investigations in these facilities greatly contributed to the development of supersonic aircraft
. He also directed research in propulsion aerodynamics in the Altitude Wind Tunnel led to significant improvements in both reciprocation and early turbojet aircraft engines. He also pioneered research on large-scale ramjet
engines.
Silverstein was placed in charge of all research at the Lewis Research Center in 1949. In 1952 he was appointed its Associate Director. He received an honorary doctorate in 1958 from Case Institute of Technology (now part of Case Western University) in Cleveland. At NASA Headquarters he helped create and direct the efforts leading to the space flights of Project Mercury
and to establish the technical basis for the Apollo program
; in particular he chaired a government commission, the Saturn Vehicle Evaluation Committee (better known as the Silverstein Committee
). As Lewis's director, he oversaw a major expansion of the center and the development of the Centaur launch vehicle
.
Silverstein died on June 1, 2001, in his home in Fairview Park, Ohio
. Silverstein is survived by two sons: Joe, of Thousand Oaks, California
, and David, of Maumee, Ohio
; a daughter, Judy Cook of Columbia, Maryland
; and five grandchildren. His wife of 48 years, Marion Croster Silverstein, died in 1998. NASA credits Silverstein with giving both the Mercury and Apollo programs their names.
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics was a U.S. federal agency founded on March 3, 1915 to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958 the agency was dissolved, and its assets and personnel transferred to the newly created National Aeronautics and...
(NACA). He was instrumental in the planning of the Apollo, Ranger
Ranger program
The Ranger program was a series of unmanned space missions by the United States in the 1960s whose objective was to obtain the first close-up images of the surface of the Moon. The Ranger spacecraft were designed to take images of the lunar surface, returning those images until they were destroyed...
, Mariner
Mariner program
The Mariner program was a program conducted by the American space agency NASA that launched a series of robotic interplanetary probes designed to investigate Mars, Venus and Mercury from 1963 to 1973...
, Surveyor
Surveyor program
The Surveyor Program was a NASA program that, from 1966 through 1968, sent seven robotic spacecraft to the surface of the Moon. Its primary goal was to demonstrate the feasibility of soft landings on the Moon...
, and Voyager
Voyager program
The Voyager program is a U.S program that launched two unmanned space missions, scientific probes Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. They were launched in 1977 to take advantage of a favorable planetary alignment of the late 1970s...
missions.
Biography
Born in Terre Haute, IndianaTerre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
, Silverstein earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
(1929) and an Master of Engineering
Master of Engineering
A Master of Engineering or Master of Technology or Master of Science in Engineering A Master of Engineering (Magister in Ingeniaria) (abbreviated M.Eng., ME or MEng) or Master of Technology (abbreviated M.Tech. or MTech) or Master of Science in Engineering A Master of Engineering (Magister in...
(1934) from the Rose Polytechnic Institute
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Rose–Hulman Institute of Technology , formerly Rose Polytechnic Institute, is a small private college specializing in teaching engineering, mathematics, and science. RHIT is highly regarded for its undergraduate engineering program, which US News and World Reports ranked in 2011 as No...
in his hometown.
NASA career
He was hired by NACA in 1929 at the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory as an aerodynamicist to work on the design of the Altitude Wind TunnelWind tunnel
A wind tunnel is a research tool used in aerodynamic research to study the effects of air moving past solid objects.-Theory of operation:Wind tunnels were first proposed as a means of studying vehicles in free flight...
to be built in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
as the Lewis Laboratory
Glenn Research Center
NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field is a NASA center, located within the cities of Brook Park, Cleveland and Fairview Park, Ohio between Cleveland Hopkins International Airport and the Cleveland Metroparks's Rocky River Reservation, and has other subsidiary facilities in Ohio...
(later, the Lewis Research Center, and now known as Glenn Research Center). While at Langley, he directed important aerodynamic research which led to increased high-speed performance of most of the combat aircraft of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. In 1944 he joined the NACA High-Speed panel and advocated the supersonic wind tunnel, completed in 1949. Following World War II, Silverstein was responsible for the conception, design, and construction of America's first supersonic propulsion wind tunnels. The investigations in these facilities greatly contributed to the development of supersonic aircraft
Supersonic aircraft
A supersonic aircraft is designed to exceed the speed of sound in at least some of its normal flight configurations.-Overview:The great majority of supersonic aircraft today are military or experimental aircraft...
. He also directed research in propulsion aerodynamics in the Altitude Wind Tunnel led to significant improvements in both reciprocation and early turbojet aircraft engines. He also pioneered research on large-scale ramjet
Ramjet
A ramjet, sometimes referred to as a stovepipe jet, or an athodyd, is a form of airbreathing jet engine using the engine's forward motion to compress incoming air, without a rotary compressor. Ramjets cannot produce thrust at zero airspeed and thus cannot move an aircraft from a standstill...
engines.
Silverstein was placed in charge of all research at the Lewis Research Center in 1949. In 1952 he was appointed its Associate Director. He received an honorary doctorate in 1958 from Case Institute of Technology (now part of Case Western University) in Cleveland. At NASA Headquarters he helped create and direct the efforts leading to the space flights of Project Mercury
Project Mercury
In January 1960 NASA awarded Western Electric Company a contract for the Mercury tracking network. The value of the contract was over $33 million. Also in January, McDonnell delivered the first production-type Mercury spacecraft, less than a year after award of the formal contract. On February 12,...
and to establish the technical basis for the Apollo program
Project Apollo
The Apollo program was the spaceflight effort carried out by the United States' National Aeronautics and Space Administration , that landed the first humans on Earth's Moon. Conceived during the Presidency of Dwight D. Eisenhower, Apollo began in earnest after President John F...
; in particular he chaired a government commission, the Saturn Vehicle Evaluation Committee (better known as the Silverstein Committee
Silverstein Committee
The Saturn Vehicle Evaluation Committee, better known as the Silverstein Committee, was a US government commission assembled in 1959 to recommend specific directions that NASA could take with the Saturn program...
). As Lewis's director, he oversaw a major expansion of the center and the development of the Centaur launch vehicle
Centaur (rocket stage)
Centaur is a rocket stage designed for use as the upper stage of space launch vehicles. Centaur boosts its satellite payload to geosynchronous orbit or, in the case of an interplanetary space probe, to or near to escape velocity...
.
Retirement
Silverstein retired from NASA in 1970 in order to take a position with Republic Steel Corporation. In 1984, NASA named Silverstein an "Elder Statesman of Aviation." On August 14, 1997, he was recipient of the prestigious Guggenheim Medal for "significant contributions to the advancement of flight."Silverstein died on June 1, 2001, in his home in Fairview Park, Ohio
Fairview Park, Ohio
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 420,690 people, 7,856 households, and 4,713 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,742.2 people per square mile . There were 8,152 housing units at an average density of 1,736.1 per square mile...
. Silverstein is survived by two sons: Joe, of Thousand Oaks, California
Thousand Oaks, California
Thousand Oaks is a city in southeastern Ventura County, California, in the United States. It was named after the many oak trees that grace the area, and the city seal is adorned with an oak....
, and David, of Maumee, Ohio
Maumee, Ohio
Maumee is a city in Lucas County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb of Toledo along the Maumee River. The population was 14,286 at the 2010 census. Maumee was also declared an All-America City by the National Civic League in June 2006.-Geography:...
; a daughter, Judy Cook of Columbia, Maryland
Columbia, Maryland
Columbia is a planned community that consists of ten self-contained villages, located in Howard County, Maryland, United States. It began with the idea that a city could enhance its residents' quality of life. Creator and developer James W. Rouse saw the new community in terms of human values, not...
; and five grandchildren. His wife of 48 years, Marion Croster Silverstein, died in 1998. NASA credits Silverstein with giving both the Mercury and Apollo programs their names.