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Bird, J. D.

Publications and source records attributed to Bird, J. D..

Design concepts of the Shuttle mission simulator

The Shuttle mission simulator is designed to simulate all phases of the Space Shuttle mission from the last 30 minutes of countdown to launch, ascent, operations in orbit, deorbit, reentry, and landing with full participation by astronaut trainees and the mission control center. This paper reviews the design concepts of the simulator with attention given to the simulation hardware, crew stations, instructor/operator stations, digital computers, flight computer simulation interface device, mission control center interface, visual systems, aural cue system, mathematical modeling, digital computer complex, motion system, and the payload accommodation system.

Bird, J. D.↗

Frequency of encounter of aircraft in a random horizontal field

Calculations were made of the frequency of encounter as a function of azimuth of encounter of a passing aircraft with the aircraft in a random planar horizontal field. All the field aircraft moved at a constant speed but in random directions. These calculations included the total frequency of encounter with the aircraft of the field and the frequency of encounter with those aircraft of the field which were encountered in the fore quadrant, in the lateral quadrants, and in the rear quadrant; the calculations were made for various speed ratios of the field aircraft and the passing aircraft.

Bird, J. D.↗

Aerospace applications of atmospheric rendezvous.

This paper studies the feasibility of the use of an atmospheric rendezvous concept to increase the efficiency and flexibility of space transportation systems. In this concept the second stage of a recoverable orbital launch vehicle or hypersonic transport would be built without wings, landing gear, or subsonic flight propulsion, and would be received in an atmospheric rendezvous by a carrier vehicle at the terminal point of flight for subsequent ferry to a landing site. Significant possibilities for weight improvement are shown and the attractiveness of a subsonic form of atmospheric rendezvous in either a towing or docking mode is illustrated.

Bird, J. D.↗

Jet shoes

Jet shoes for space locomotion

Bird, J. D.↗