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Goett, Harry J

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Goett Credit: NASA

Born: 1910-11-14. Died: 2000-01-06.

Harry J. Goett earned a degree in physics from Holy Cross College in 1931 and one in aeronautical engineering from NYU in 1933. After holding a number of engineering posts with private firms, he became a project engineer at Langley Aeronautical Laboratory in 1936. He later moved to Ames Aeronautical Laboratory, where he was chief of the full-scale and flight research division, 1948-1959. In the latter year he became director of the Goddard Space Flight Center, a post he held until July 1965, when he became a special assistant to NASA Administrator James E. Webb. Later that year he became director for plans and programs at Philco's Western Development Labs in California and ultimately retired from a position with Ford Aerospace and Communications.

• Birth of Harry J Goett - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Goett. American engineer. At Langley from 1936, headed flight research at Ames 1958-1959, director of Goddard 1959-1965. Headed important 1960 committee that established NASA LV development plans. At Ford Aerospace from 1965..

• Two-man Mercury capsule proposed. - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Goett. Spacecraft: Gemini.

  H. Kurt Strass of the Space Task Group (STG) at Langley Field, Virginia described some preliminary ideas of STG planners regarding a follow-on to Mercury: (1) an enlarged Mercury capsule to place two men in orbit for three days; (2) a two-man Mercury capsule and a large cylindrical structure to support a two-week mission. (In its 1960 budget, NASA had requested $2 million to study methods of constructing a manned orbiting laboratory or converting the Mercury spacecraft into a two-man laboratory for extended space missions.) Additional Details: here....

• Goett Committee to study advanced manned space flight missions - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Goett. Program: Apollo.

  John W. Crowley, Jr., NASA Director of Aeronautical and Space Research, notified the Ames, Lewis, and Langley Research Centers, the High Speed Flight Station (later Flight Research Center), the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Office of Space Flight Development that a Research Steering Committee on Manned Space Flight would be formed. Harry J. Goett of Ames was to be Chairman of the Committee, which would assist NASA Headquarters in carrying out its responsibilities in long-range planning and basic research on manned space flight.

• Goddard Space Flight Center established. - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Goddard, Goett.

  NASA's Administrator announced the naming of Goddard Space Flight Center under construction near Greenbelt, Md., in commemoration of Robert H. Goddard, American pioneer in rocket research. Dr. Harry J. Goett was appointed Director in September. STG was transferred to the authority of the newly formed Goddard Space Flight Center but remained based at Langley Field, Va.

• First meeting of the Research Steering Committee on Manned Space Flight - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Faget, Goett, Low, George. Program: Apollo. Spacecraft: Mercury.

  The first meeting of the Research Steering Committee on Manned Space Flight was held at NASA Headquarters. Members of the Committee attending were: Harry J. Goett, Chairman; Milton B. Ames, Jr. (part-time); De E. Beeler; Alfred J. Eggers, Jr.; Maxime A. Faget; Laurence K. Loftin, Jr.; George M. Low; Bruce T. Lundin; and Harris M. Schurmeier. Observers were John H. Disher, Robert M. Crane, Warren J. North, Milton W. Rosen (part-time), and H. Kurt Strass.

  The purpose of the Committee was to take a long-term look at man-in-space problems, leading eventually to recommendations on future missions and on broad aspects of Center research programs to ensure that the Centers were providing proper information. Committee investigations would range beyond Mercury and Dyna-Soar but would not be overly concerned with specific vehicular configurations. The Committee would report directly to the Office of Aeronautical and Space Research.

• Projected manned space station - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Goett, Low, George. Program: Apollo.

  A report on a projected manned space station was made to the Research Steering Committee by Laurence K. Loftin, Jr., of the Langley Research Center. In discussion, Chairman Harry J. Goett expressed his opinion that consideration of a space laboratory ought to be an integral and coordinated part of the planning for the lunar landing mission. George M. Low of NASA Headquarters warned that care should be exercised to assure that each step taken toward the goal of a lunar landing was significant, since the number of steps that could be funded was extremely limited.

• Space stations second priority to a lunar landing mission. - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Goett.

  Laurence K. Loftin, Jr., of Langley Research Center, presented to the Research Steering Committee on Manned Space Flight a report on a projected manned space station. During subsequent discussion, Committee Chairman Harry J. Goett stated that considerations of space stations and orbiting laboratories should be an integral part of coordinated planning for a lunar landing mission. Additional Details: here....

• Importance of weight of end vehicle in the lunar landing mission - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Goett. Program: Apollo. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM, CSM Source Selection, LM Mode Debate, LM Source Selection.

  In a memorandum to the members of the Research Steering Committee on Manned Space Flight, Chairman Harry J. Goett discussed the increased importance of the weight of the "end vehicle" in the lunar landing mission. This was to be an item on the agenda of the third meeting of the Committee, to be held in early December. Abe Silverstein, Director of the NASA Office of Space Flight Development, had recently mentioned to Goett that a decision would be made within the next few weeks on the configuration of successive generations of Saturn, primarily the upper stages, Silverstein and Goett had discussed the Committee's views on a lunar spacecraft. Goett expressed the hope in the memorandum that members of the Committee would have some specific ideas at their forthcoming meeting about the probable weight of the spacecraft.

  In addition, Goett informed the Committee that the Vega had been eliminated as a possible booster for use in one of the intermediate steps leading to the lunar mission. The primary possibility for the earth satellite mission was now the first-generation Saturn and for the lunar flight the second-generation Saturn.

• Discussion on the advanced manned spacecraft program at Langley - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Goett, Low, George. Program: Apollo. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM.

  A discussion on the advanced manned spacecraft program was held at the Langley Research Center with members of STG and Langley Research Center, together with George M. Low and Ernest O. Pearson, Jr., of NASA Headquarters and Harry J. Goett of Goddard Space Flight Center. Floyd L. Thompson, Langley Director, said that Langley would be studying the radiation problem, making configuration tests (including a lifting Mercury) , and studying aerodynamics, heating, materials, and structures.

• Name Apollo approved for the advanced manned space flight program - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Glennan, Goett, Silverstein. Program: Apollo. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM, CSM Source Selection.

  NASA Director of Space Flight Programs Abe Silverstein notified Harry J. Goett, Director of the Goddard Space Flight Center, that NASA Administrator T. Keith Glennan had approved the name "Apollo" for the advanced manned space flight program. The program would be so designated at the forthcoming NASA-Industry Program Plans Conference.

• Tentative program of the Goddard industry conference to be held on August 30 outlined - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Goett. Program: Apollo. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM, CSM Source Selection.

  In a memorandum to Abe Silverstein, Director of NASA's Office of Space Flight Programs, Harry J. Goett, Director of Goddard Space Flight Center, outlined the tentative program of the Goddard industry conference to be held on August 30. At this conference, more details of proposed study contracts for an advanced manned spacecraft would be presented. The requirements would follow the guidelines set down by STG and presented to NASA Headquarters during April and May. Three six-month study contracts at $250,000 each would be awarded.

• Evaluation Boards formed to consider industry proposals for Apollo spacecraft - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Faget, Goett. Program: Apollo. Spacecraft: Apollo CSM, CSM Source Selection.

  Members were appointed to the Technical Assessment Panels and the Evaluation Board to consider industry proposals for Apollo spacecraft feasibility studies. Members of the Evaluation Board were: Charles J. Donlan (STG), Chairman; Maxime A. Faget (STG) ; Robert O. Piland (STG), Secretary; John H. Disher (NASA Headquarters Office of Space Flight Programs); Alvin Seiff (Ames); John V. Becker (Langley); H. H. Koelle (Marshall); Harry J. Goett (Goddard), ex officio; and Robert R. Gilruth (STG), ex officio.

• Death of Harry J Goett - . Nation: USA. Related Persons: Goett. American engineer. At Langley from 1936, headed flight research at Ames 1958-1959, director of Goddard 1959-1965. Headed important 1960 committee that established NASA LV development plans. At Ford Aerospace from 1965..