Some of the flight dynamics and ground tracking station experts working behind the scenes at ESOC for MSG-4 launch. Credit: ESA/L. Guilpain - CC BY-SA IGO 3.0

Some of the flight dynamics and ground tracking station experts working behind the scenes at ESOC for MSG-4 launch. Credit: ESA/L. Guilpain - CC BY-SA IGO 3.0

Some of the flight dynamics and ground tracking station experts working behind the scenes at ESOC for MSG-4 launch. Credit: ESA/L. Guilpain - CC BY-SA IGO 3.0

General Dynamics F-16A Fighting Falcon

J-508

KLu 306/311 Squadron

Royal Netherlands Air Force

RIAT 1996

RAF Fairford

Some of the flight dynamics and ground tracking station experts working behind the scenes at ESOC for MSG-4 launch. Credit: ESA/L. Guilpain - CC BY-SA IGO 3.0

St Mawgan Airshow 1980

The Apollo Program's Project FIRE (Flight Investigation Reentry Environment) studied the effects of reentry heating on spacecraft materials. It involved both wind tunnel and flight tests, although the majority were tests with Atlas rockets and recoverable reentry packages. These flight tests took place at Cape Canaveral in Florida. Wind tunnel tests, however, were made in several Langley tunnels including the Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel, the 8-foot High-Temperature Tunnel and the 9x6-Foot Thermal Structures Tunnel.

NASA Quote

General Dynamics F-16B Fighting Falcon on static display during the US Air Force's celebration of the 70th anniversary of supersonic flight at Edwards AFB, October 13, 2017.

General Dynamics' Bliss Three Forge Furnace is a natural gas-fired rotary hearth furnace used to heat steel before forging. Refurbished with a new high performance refractory, high efficiency burner controls, and natural gas recuperators, the furnace improvements translated into a 25% reduction in natural gas consumption.

Photo credit: General Dynamics.

bliss_three_forge_furnace

This morning in the lab, willing test experiments were wired up and required to walk across a laterally unrestrained bridge (you can see it swinging on the supports at this end, which may explain the look of amused trying-not-to-fall-over on Maria's face). I was technically taking photos of the experimental set-up for Dan's thesis when he reports this, but couldn't resist recording amusing moments too...

General Dynamics is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. It has four main business segments: Marine Systems, Combat Systems, Information Systems and Technology, and Aerospace. One division of General Dynamics, the Electric Boat Corporation, has been the primary builder of submarines for the United States Navy for over 100 years. In addition to building submarines at the company's shipyard on the Thames River in Groton, Connecticut, Electric Boat is also in the business of performing overhaul and repair work on fast attack class boats.