Father Of Lifting Body Program Dies

Robert Dale Reed, long time NASA aeronautics researcher, passed away last Friday at age 75 due to complications from cancer. During his almost 52 year career at NASA Dryden, Reed worked on many programs. He is best known for his work on the Lifting Body and Remotely Piloted Research Vehicle (RPRV) programs.

Reed started work at NASA Dryden in 1953 after graduating from the University of Idaho with a degree in mechanical engineering. At the time, the installation was known as the NACA High Speed Flight Research Station. He was responsible for aerodynamics load measurements on the early X-series aircraft, and aerodynamics heating measurements on the X-15.

Reed confidently pursued research into lifting bodies to examine how wingless, low lift-to-drag spacecraft could serve as orbiting vehicles equipped to re-enter the atmosphere and land safely. The entire body of the craft becomes a controllable airfoil. Although the concept was rejected for use in the Apollo program, Reed was key in development of the prototype M2-F1 lifting body that flew in 1963. This success led to the creation of rocket-powered lifting bodies, with the research ultimately contributing to the design of the space shuttle.

Reed innovated by using model drone aircraft for research in the RPRV program. He used actual ground based cockpits which contained the same instruments and sensors of a fully equipped airplane. his research used a pilot and a radio uplink, and eventually added computer control systems.

Reed designed and patented a foldable airplane for Mars exploration in 1977. The aircraft would have been dropped from a Viking spacecraft and explore the planet at low altitude before running out of fuel. It then would have landed and continued to feed data back to NASA like the rovers are doing now. He patented a solar guidance system for aircraft, and conducted experiments in gyroless autopilots, deep stall flight tests, and free flight airfoils.

After retiring from NASA in 1985, Reed worked for Lockheed Advanced Development Projects for four years before returning to NASA as a contract aerospace engineer. He worked on a variety of projects including the X-33, X-36 and X-38 research vehicles, and the Beamed Laser Power Flight Demonstration.

Reed managed 19 projects, designed a dozen aircraft, and wrote numerous technical reports, papers and a book, "Wingless Flight." He received numerous awards for his contributions to aeronautics.

This Distinguished NASA Aeronautical Researcher and longtime resident of Lancaster, CA leaves behind his wife, Donna, and four children, Cristy, Charmaine, Chariann, and Robert.

FMI: www.dfrc.nasa.gov