Edgar Cortright
Encyclopedia
Edgar Maurice Cortright (b. 1923, Pennsylvania) is a scientist and engineer, and former senior official at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) in the United States
. His most prominent positions during his career were Director of NASA's Langley Research Center
, and Chairman of the Apollo 13 Review Board which investigated the explosion that occurred during the Apollo 13
spaceflight in 1970.
followed by an M.S.
in aeronautical engineering
at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
in 1947 and 1949. He attended the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
(NACA) Nuclear Engineering
School in 1957, and later became a Doctor of Engineering
at Rensselaer, in 1975.
in September 1941 where he was a Lieutenant. He went on to work at the Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory
(now the Glenn Research Center
) at NACA, in Cleveland, Ohio. There, he held the positions of Aeronautical Research Scientist (1948); Head of Small Supersonic Tunnels Section (1949–1954); and Chief, Eight-by-Six-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel Branch (1954–1958).
He was Director of the Langley Research Center
in Hampton, Virginia
from 1968-1975. Following the spacecraft explosion during the Apollo 13
spaceflight in April 1970, Cortright was appointed chairman of the Apollo 13 Review Board which was established to invesigate the cause of the accident. The Board reported its findings to NASA in June 1970.
in Los Angeles
, California. Cortright is now retired.
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
(NASA) in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. His most prominent positions during his career were Director of NASA's Langley Research Center
Langley Research Center
Langley Research Center is the oldest of NASA's field centers, located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It directly borders Poquoson, Virginia and Langley Air Force Base...
, and Chairman of the Apollo 13 Review Board which investigated the explosion that occurred during the Apollo 13
Apollo 13
Apollo 13 was the seventh manned mission in the American Apollo space program and the third intended to land on the Moon. The craft was launched on April 11, 1970, at 13:13 CST. The landing was aborted after an oxygen tank exploded two days later, crippling the service module upon which the Command...
spaceflight in 1970.
Education
Cortright was born in a coal mining district in western Pennsylvania, and his family moved to the Philadelphia area where he attended high school. He earned a B.S.Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
followed by an M.S.
Master of Science
A Master of Science is a postgraduate academic master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is typically studied for in the sciences including the social sciences.-Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay:...
in aeronautical engineering
Aerospace engineering
Aerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...
at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Stephen Van Rensselaer established the Rensselaer School on November 5, 1824 with a letter to the Rev. Dr. Samuel Blatchford, in which van Rensselaer asked Blatchford to serve as the first president. Within the letter he set down several orders of business. He appointed Amos Eaton as the school's...
in 1947 and 1949. He attended the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
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) Nuclear Engineering
Nuclear engineering
Nuclear engineering is the branch of engineering concerned with the application of the breakdown as well as the fusion of atomic nuclei and/or the application of other sub-atomic physics, based on the principles of nuclear physics...
School in 1957, and later became a Doctor of Engineering
Doctor of Engineering
The Doctor of Engineering is an academic degree awarded on the basis of advanced study and research in engineering or applied sciences...
at Rensselaer, in 1975.
Career
Cortright enlisted in the United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
in September 1941 where he was a Lieutenant. He went on to work at the Lewis Flight Propulsion 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...
(now the Glenn Research Center
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...
) at NACA, in Cleveland, Ohio. There, he held the positions of Aeronautical Research Scientist (1948); Head of Small Supersonic Tunnels Section (1949–1954); and Chief, Eight-by-Six-Foot Supersonic Wind Tunnel Branch (1954–1958).
NASA
He joined the newly-formed NASA agency (successor to the NACA) as a founding member in 1958 and worked at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C. where he was Chief of Advanced Technology (1958–1959); Assistant Director for Lunar and Planetary Programs, Office of Space Flight Programs, (1960–61); Deputy Director for Space Science and Applications (1961–1963); Deputy Associate Administrator for Space Science and Applications (1963–1968); and Deputy Associate Administrator, Office of Manned Space Flight, (1968).He was Director of the Langley Research Center
Langley Research Center
Langley Research Center is the oldest of NASA's field centers, located in Hampton, Virginia, United States. It directly borders Poquoson, Virginia and Langley Air Force Base...
in Hampton, Virginia
Hampton, Virginia
Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...
from 1968-1975. Following the spacecraft explosion during the Apollo 13
Apollo 13
Apollo 13 was the seventh manned mission in the American Apollo space program and the third intended to land on the Moon. The craft was launched on April 11, 1970, at 13:13 CST. The landing was aborted after an oxygen tank exploded two days later, crippling the service module upon which the Command...
spaceflight in April 1970, Cortright was appointed chairman of the Apollo 13 Review Board which was established to invesigate the cause of the accident. The Board reported its findings to NASA in June 1970.
After NASA
Cortright left NASA to become Corporate Vice President and Technical Director at Owens Illinois Corporation from 1975-1979. He also held the positions of Senior Vice President for Science and Engineering (1978) and President (1979–1983) at Lockheed-California CompanyLockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California. Cortright is now retired.
External links
- NASA Biographical Data Sheet: Edgar Maurice Cortright
- Oral History Transcript: Edgar M. Cortright Lengthy interview of Cortright.
- Spaceflight Revolution: NASA Langley Research Center From Sputnik to Apollo See Chapter 12: The Cortright Synthesis.
- Exploring Space With A Camera. Compiled and Edited by Edgar M. Cortright, 1968.
- Apollo Expeditions to the Moon Edited by Edgar M. Cortright, 1975.