Prof. Russell Philbrick – MEAS – NC State |

Seminar Title:  The Early Space Age

Abstract: As we observe the 60^th Anniversary of the beginning of the Space Age, it is fitting to reflect upon some of the advances in our knowledge of the solar system and understanding of our planet’s environment, as well as, to celebrate the many technology advances during these six decades. I want to tell this story, initially observed through the eyes of a kid growing up in the 1950s, and later as I found that the space age led me to many opportunities and to the wonderful careers that I experienced.  The formal beginning is generally accepted to be 4 October 1957, when the Sputnik satellite was successfully launched into orbit, as the world was preparing for the International Geophysical Year (IGY) in 1958. This period was selected for the IGY because it was a solar cycle 11-year maximum, and it just happened to be the time of the largest solar cycle (sun-spot number) of the last three centuries. Several of the technology advances of the Space Age and the influence upon my career are described.