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2015 SESSION
15102975DWHEREAS, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics was founded on March 3, 1915, “to supervise and direct the scientific study of the problems of flight, with a view to their practical solution”; and
WHEREAS, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics established the first civilian aeronautics laboratory, Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory (LMAL), in Hampton in 1917; the lab developed unique wind tunnels, facilities, and flight test techniques to advance scientific knowledge of flight; and
WHEREAS, the contributions of the LMAL staff were recognized by five prestigious Collier Trophies for engine cowlings to reduce drag, efficient wing de-icing, wind tunnel research on the X-1 aircraft that broke the sound barrier, slotted-throat wind tunnel design for more accurate results at high speeds, and the Witcomb Area Rule for transonic aircraft design; and
WHEREAS, the LMAL performed numerous wind tunnel tests on pre-production and post-production aircraft to reduce drag, thus improving the performance of nearly every American World War II aircraft; and
WHEREAS, the LMAL was instrumental in the founding of additional National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics research laboratories that are now known as Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, Ames Research Center and Armstrong Flight Research Center in California, and Glenn Research Center in Ohio, which became the core centers for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA); and
WHEREAS, the LMAL significantly advanced understanding of transonic, supersonic, and hypersonic flight through research by the Pilotless Aircraft Research Division and participation in the X-1 and X-15 research aircraft programs; from these programs, the Space Task Group was formed, which developed the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs that put Americans in space and on the moon and went on to found Johnson Space Center in Texas; and
WHEREAS, on October 1, 1958, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics was dissolved, and all personnel and programs were transferred to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, which carried on the committee’s mission; and
WHEREAS, the LMAL became the NASA Langley Research Center on October 1, 1958, and continues to build on the research of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics to solve the challenges that exist in our nation’s air transportation system—congestion, safety, and environmental impacts—and to help develop technologies for on-demand air transportation, where goods and people can be delivered anytime, anywhere; and
WHEREAS, NASA Langley is working to make supersonic passenger travel possible and to safely integrate unmanned aerial systems into the national airspace; recognizing the importance of commercial space initiatives, NASA Langley is working with companies to advance their technology and manufacturing capabilities; and
WHEREAS, NASA Langley led the development of the Mars Viking mission and successfully landed the first two robotic landers on the surface of Mars, contributed to the development and operation of the Space Shuttle, and continues its critical spaceflight research with contributions to the nation’s next human space transportation system development, including the Orion spacecraft and the Space Launch System; and
WHEREAS, NASA Langley made vital advancements through satellite-based observations that measure Earth’s atmosphere in order to understand how human activities may affect the environment, and it developed remote sensing systems that continue to pave the way for new atmospheric discoveries that help protect Earth and its people with earlier and better-informed public policy decisions; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate of Virginia, That the National Aeronautics and Space Administration hereby be commended for its work to enable the United States’ leadership in aeronautics and space on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as an expression of the Senate of Virginia’s admiration for the legacy of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and best wishes for continued success in the exploration and development of space, aeronautics, and earth sciences.