The Halcyon Years of Air and Space Flight: And the Continuing Quest

Described are the "halcyon years" of air and space flight between about 1945 and 1985, when "sound" and "heat" barriers were broken - men walked on the moon, and space probes began space travels that have now taken them beyond the solar system of our Sun. The author was not a famous figure during all these exciting years, but he had interesting encounters with some of the figures who were. And he and his colleagues played their own key roles in overcoming some of the barriers facing military air and space flight. Mentioned are remaining barriers facing our next big steps in air and space. And examples are shown of material and energy systems and propulsion and flight systems that may be needed to overcome them. Finally the possibility of reaching (and even exceeding) light-speed is mentioned, together with the author's view of possible futures for spaceflight and of earth-humanity ever reaching the stars.

Herman D. Froning MSc,University of Michigan,R&D Officer US Air Force, Aerospace Scientist and Engineer Boeing and Douglas Aircraft,President, Flight Unlimited, Associate Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Previous Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society, Past Member of the International Academy of Astronautics.