HPS391H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 13: National Defense Research Committee, Ballistic Research Laboratory, Electrical Engineering
29 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
Best-known scientific program: manhattan project at los alamos. Former professor of electrical engineering at mit; head of osrd. Computing was merely a mean to an end. Consisted of 12 leading members of scientific community. At the moore school: end = ballistics computations for aberdeen proving ground in maryland. Mathematical ballistics: calculated trajectories of weapons fired through air/water. Originally had ~30 ppl; outbreak of war lead to top scientists in all fields as well as junior scientists as assistants. Herman h goldstine: junior scientists/assistant, later plays important role towards development of modern computer. John w. mauchly (former professor, interested in numerical weather predictions) Intensive course designed to train physicists/mathematicians for technical posts (electronics) Undergraduate programs were finished early by acceleration (no vacations) War training through engineering, science, management, war training (esmwt) All computing activity for producing firing tables for old and new artillery. Brl and moore school of engineering combined to form a faster moving unit to calculate ballistics.
