Space Technology: Vital Capabilities for Warfighters
Abstract
Consider for a few moments the challenge of accurately predicting the possibility and utility of technological developments. In 1895, Lord William Thomson Kelvin, the Scottish mathematician and physicist, noted, "Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible" Eight years later, in 1903, just a few months before the Wright Brothers successfully made history with the first manned flight, Simon Newcomb, an astronomer observed, "Aerial flight is one of that great class of problems with which man can never cope." These gentlemen would surely be surprised today with the extent that powered flight has affected our lives. The statements by Kelvin and Newcomb show the difficulty of predicting the outcome of a particular type of technology, but they also point to the importance of drawing upon the correct lessons when forecasting the future.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA525785
Entities
People
- Joseph M. Cosumano Jr.
Organizations
- United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command