24-10-2012, 02:22 PM
Bringing in the Reinforcements
ABSTRACT
What do NASA and ballistics have in common? More than the average person may know. Everyday, millions of
Americans drive in vehicles, cross over bridges, and fly in airplanes without knowing just how important NASA s role in
studying ballistics is in making these actions viable and safe for them. At Glenn Research Center s Ballistic Impact Facility,
NASA scientists and engineers study the dynamics of high-speed projectiles and their impact on targets to create materials and
structures that are smarter, lighter, and stronger. By applying the science of ballistics to new developments, these researchers
are taking major steps in preventing catastrophic events. The Ballistic Impact Facility s main features are a 40-foot-long gas
gun that can launch projectiles at speeds over 1,000 miles per hour and highspeed cameras that can capture up to 250 million
images per second.
ABSTRACT
What do NASA and ballistics have in common? More than the average person may know. Everyday, millions of
Americans drive in vehicles, cross over bridges, and fly in airplanes without knowing just how important NASA s role in
studying ballistics is in making these actions viable and safe for them. At Glenn Research Center s Ballistic Impact Facility,
NASA scientists and engineers study the dynamics of high-speed projectiles and their impact on targets to create materials and
structures that are smarter, lighter, and stronger. By applying the science of ballistics to new developments, these researchers
are taking major steps in preventing catastrophic events. The Ballistic Impact Facility s main features are a 40-foot-long gas
gun that can launch projectiles at speeds over 1,000 miles per hour and highspeed cameras that can capture up to 250 million
images per second.