Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Oberth, Hermann Julius

(Encyclopedia)Oberth, Hermann Julius, 1894–1989, Austro-German astronautical pioneer, b. Hermannstadt, Austria-Hungary (now Sibiu, Romania). Beginning his studies in astronautics before World War I, he first prop...

Tsiolkovsky, Konstantin Eduardovich

(Encyclopedia)Tsiolkovsky, Konstantin Eduardovich kənstəntyēnˈ ĕdwärˈdəvĭchˈ tsēōlkŏvˈskē [key], 1857–1935, Russian inventor and rocket expert. He lost his hearing in childhood, and, as he could no...

bazooka

(Encyclopedia)bazooka, in warfare, portable, lightweight metal tube from which rockets are launched, usually operated by two men. It is used by infantry as an antitank weapon and also for attacking pillboxes and bu...

Federal Aviation Administration

(Encyclopedia)Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), component of the U.S. Department of Transportation that sets standards for the air-worthiness of all civilian aircraft, inspects and licenses them, and regulates...

rocketsonde

(Encyclopedia)rocketsonde, rocket with instrumentation capable of measuring and transmitting meteorological data to altitudes of 250,000 ft (76,200 m). See radiosonde. ...

fluidics

(Encyclopedia)fluidics, branch of engineering and technology concerned with the development of equivalents of various electronic circuits using movements of fluid rather than movements of electric charge. The basic...

European Space Agency

(Encyclopedia)European Space Agency (ESA), multinational agency dedicated to the promotion, for exclusively peaceful purposes, of cooperation among European states in space research and technology. Member states in...

In

(Encyclopedia)In, symbol for the element indium. ...

NASA

(Encyclopedia)NASA: see National Aeronautics and Space Administration. ...

Wallops Island

(Encyclopedia)Wallops Island wälˈləps [key], island, 6 sq mi (15.5 sq km), Accomack co., E Va., off the Atlantic coast of the Delmarva pensinsula S of Chincoteaque island. NASA has a facility there and on the ne...