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History of Research in Space Biology
and Biodynamics
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- RESEARCH ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN
BIODYNAMCS: DECELERATION AND IMPACT AT THE AIR FORCE MISSILE
DEVELOPMENT CENTER 1955-1958
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- BIODYNAMICS: DECELERATION AND
IMPACT
- 1955-1958
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- [65] In addition
to major contributions in such space biology research fields as
the hazards of cosmic radiation and the effects of subgravity and
zero-g, the Aeromedical Field Laboratory of the Air Force Missile
Development Center has made significant progress in biodynamics
research. It was in 1953 that research in biodynamics began at the
Holloman installation. As discussed in a previous
monograph,1 the initial primary concern in this area of
endeavor was with the problem of escape from high-performance
aircraft.
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- The memorable rocket-sled rides of
Lieutenant Colonel (Doctor and later Colonel) John Paul Stapp were
to provide data on human tolerance to windblast and deceleration
encountered in escape situations. Research on the escape problem,
however, has been only one aspect of the Laboratory's complex
biodynamics program, and the famous high-speed track only one of
the research and test facilities at Holloman Air Force Base that
are used for this experimentation.
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- Tests conducted on the high-speed track,
in addition to making available information related to escape,
have provided pure research data on deceleration, and have also
thrown light on such problems as aircraft crash forces and
atmospheric re-entry. Furthermore, the Aeromedical Field
Laboratory staff has developed certain specialized test
instruments, ranging from a mere swing seat to the
highly-instrumented 120-foot Daisy Track, for the study of a wide
array of impact forces.
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- The biodynamics research program of the
Aeromedical Field Laboratory has been conducted primarily under
the auspices of Project 7850, which was established in 1954-1955
with the title Biodynamics of Human Factors in Aviation. However,
aviation was never stressed to the exclusion of other problems.
Even automotive crash research was conducted as a separate task of
Project 7850, while other project activities were oriented toward
problems of manned space flight. Indeed, with the post-Sputnik
revolution in Air Force research activity, scientists of the
Aeromedical Field Laboratory at last became free to emphasize
space work to their hearts' content. It has now become the
primary-though still not exclusive-interest of Project 7850, which
in March 1958 was revised and renamed Biodynamics of Space
Flight.2
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- From the standpoint of administrative
organization, Project 7850 was originally entrusted to the
Aeromedical Field Laboratory's Biodynamics Branch. When the
laboratory received an important new mission in biosatellite work
in mid-1958, the Biodynamics Branch went into a state of suspended
animation, losing its chief, Captain (Doctor) John D. Mosely, and
all its personnel to a new Satellite Operations Branch. The new
branch also received responsibility for Project 7850, but with the
understanding that it would receive low priority until people and
resources were made available. Thus the biodynamics program, at
least in the form known up to now, is also on semi-active status.
But there is no intention of abandoning it outright. The program
has already produced data that will be of value for a great many
purposes, including biosatellite operations; and one other Air
Force agency, the Aero Medical Laboratory at Wright Field, has
promised to channel an ever growing amount of biodynamics work to
the Holloman unit, especially in the testing of escape systems and
personal equipment.3
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