History of US Air Force Development Test in Space
Abstract
The history of Air Force developmental test in space includes both manned and unmanned vehicles and systems, ground and flight test, and the expertise of testers of both Arnold and Edwards Air Force Bases, with a history back to the 1950s. The examination of internal Air Force primary and secondary sources, as well external primary and secondary historical sources reveals that while developmental test and evaluation represented only a small part of the Air Force mission, the successful employment of air and space systems ultimately depended upon the expertise of testers in supplying relevant test data, gathered with rigor, objectivity, and discipline, to program designers, developers, and operators. Moreover, no other military organization in the nation matches the Air Force Test Center enterprise for experience in and capabilities for manned spaceflight, particularly in the transition from launch to orbit to reentry under pilot control, as well as for infrastructure and corporate and technical knowledge. This long, diverse, and fruitful history of space test expertise has made the Air Force Test Center test enterprise the optimal home for the future of Air Force developmental test in space.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 29, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1070701
Entities
People
- Stephanie M. Smith