2008 Annual Report - NASA Airborne Science Program

APPENDIX B
Airborne Program
History
Origins of an Airborne Earth
Science Program at NASA
The NASA Airborne Science
Program has supported the study
of Earth from space since the
time of the Gemini program and
continues to do so today in support
of ongoing and planned earth observing
satellite missions. Over the years, airborne
science measurements have provided humanity
with a better understanding of our ozone
layer, high-resolution maps of land resources,
and measurements within evolving air masses
to understand the chemistry and dynamics of
our changing atmosphere.
Aircraft Office, which added the C-130B and
NP-3A, as well as the WB-57s, which still fly
out of JSC. Much of the early Landsat sensor
design criteria development, and the
evolution of an international remote sensing
community, happened during this time. Ole
stayed with the Airborne Office until the
Program was moved to Ames and Wallops in
1982.
The following is an excerpt of his account of
the early years.
In an effort to recognize the past giants of
this program, upon whose shoulders the current
team now stands, this and future reports
will highlight individuals that have served
NASA and our nation in the past.
We thank Olav (Ole) Smistad for contributing
to this second installment of the history of
the airborne science program at NASA. Ole
worked in the Gemini Experiments Office at
the manned Spacecraft Center in Houston
in the early sixties. From that program, Leo
Childs and Harold Toy acquired the Convair
240 which flew its first mission in 1964.
From that first mission, Ole headed the JSC
Figure 50
Ole Smistad
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