The NACA
The predecessor of NASA, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was founded in 1915 with the intent of being an advisory committee that would coordinate research underway elsewhere. It quickly became a leading research organization in the new field of aeronautics, pushing back the boundaries of flight until its transformation into NASA in 1958.
NACA QUICK FACTS
Collier Trophies won by the NACA
Diameter in feet of first NACA wind tunnel
NACA Locations
NACA Biographies
“Airplanes” or “Langleys” and Other Tales of the NACA
If Charles Walcott, one of the first members of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) had his way, instead…
Read the StoryFeatured Stories
More Stories from the NACA
In a crowded control room on May 8, 1942, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) leaders George Lewis and John…
On January 23, 1941, local authorities, military representatives, and agency officials assembled in Cleveland to initiate construction of the National…
“[On December 15, 1941] a few shivering, startled Southerners from Langley, the vanguard of those in the Power Plants Division…
On Oct. 1, 1958, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) officially began operations. President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into…
For Daniel Raible, to say NASA is in his family’s blood is not hyperbole—in fact, it could be an understatement.…
For Daniel Raible, to say NASA is in his family’s blood is not hyperbole—in fact, it could be an understatement.…
History of the NACA
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was established in 1915 in response to the success of others and went on to become a major force for technological change in aeronautics.
Learn MoreThe NACA
Selected NACA Oral Histories
A Pictorial History of the Early Years at NASA Glenn
The official photographic archive at NASA’s Glenn Research Center represents a continuous visual and historic record of the center’s facilities, research, and people since its inception in 1942.
Explore Nearly 40 Years of Photography about A Pictorial History of the Early Years at NASA GlennSelected Publications for Further Reading
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics: An Annotated Bibliography
This annotated bibliography is a compilation of monographs, journal and newspaper articles, and congressional hearings that chronicle milestones in the history of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). (SP-4555, 2014)
The NACA Inspections
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA)’s elaborate Inspections were an opportunity to brief representatives from the military, aeronautical industry, universities, and the press on the NACA’s latest research efforts and its state-of-the-art test facilities.
Delve into the History of these Events about The NACA InspectionsNACA Research Publications
Thousands of NACA reports dating back to the early 1900s are freely available to the public on the NASA Technical Reports Server. Investigate the early research on topics such as aerodynamics and aeronautical engineering, flying boats and rotorcraft, propellers and jet propulsion, and so much more.
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