James Chipman Fletcher

Biography

Abstract

James C. Fletcher served twice as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (1971-1977 and 1986-1989). Other institutional affiliations included the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Utah. His research interests included aerodynamics and shock waves.

Important Dates

June 5, 1919Birth, Millburn (N.J.).

1940Obtained AB, Columbia University, New York (N.Y.).

1941 – 1942Special Research Associate, Cruft Laboratory, Harvard University.

1942 – 1945Instructor, Princeton University.

1948Obtained PhD in Physics, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena (Calif.).

1948 – 1950Instructor, University of California, Los Angeles.

1948 – 1954Director, Theory and Analysis Laboratory, Hughes Aircraft Company, Glendale (Calif.).

1950 – 1954Member, Subcommittee on Stability and Control, National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics.

1954 – 1958Associate Director, Guided Missle Laboratory to Director, Electronics, Guided Missle Research Division, Space Technology Laboratories, Ramo-Wooldridge Corporation.

1958 – 1960President, Space Electronics Corporation.

1958 – 1967Consultant, President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

1959 – 1961Member, Strategic Weapons Panel, President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

1960 – 1962President, Space General Corporation.

1960 – 1964Chair, Board of Directors, Space General Corporation.

1962 – 1963Member, Command Control and Intelligence Panel, President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

1962 – 1964Consultant, United States Arms Control and Disarmament Agency.

1962 – 1964Vice President, Systems, Aerojet General Corporation.

1963Member, Scientific Advisory Board, United States Air Force.

1964 – 1967Member, Military Aircraft Panel, President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

1964 – 1971President, University of Utah, Salt Lake City (Utah).

1967 – 1970Member, President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC).

1971 – 1977Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Washington (D.C.).

1977 – 1991Whiteford Professor of Technology and Energy Resources, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh (Pa.).

1978 – 1983Chair, Energy Research Advisory Board, United States Department of Energy.

1978 – 1985Member, Governing Council, National Academy of Engineering.

1978 – 1985Member, Board of Trustees, Rockefeller Foundation.

1981 – 1985Member, Executive Committee, Governing Board, National Research Council.

1986 – 1989Administrator, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Washington (D.C.).

December 22, 1991Death, Washington (D.C.).

Occupation

Research physicist.

Places

Birth

Millburn (N.J.)

Undergraduate Education

New York (N.Y.)

Graduate Education

Pasadena (Calif.)

Employment

Glendale (Calif.)

Salt Lake City (Utah)

Washington (D.C.)

Pittsburgh (Pa.)

Death

Washington (D.C.)

Subjects

Aerodynamics.

Cosmic rays.

Guidance systems (Flight).

Shock waves.

Relationships

People

Family

Fletcher, Harvey, 1884-1981

Father.

Colleagues

Baldeschwieler, John D., 1933-

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Bennett, Charles L. (Charles Leonard), 1956-

Both employed at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Bennett, Ivan L., Jr.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Biondi, Manfred Anthony, 1924-

Both employed at University of Pittsburgh.

Bleakney, Walker, 1901-1992

Both employed at Princeton University.

Branscomb, Lewis M., 1926-

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Bridgman, P. W. (Percy Williams), 1882-1961

Both employed at Harvard University.

Callen, Herbert B.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Cohen, Bernard Leonard, 1924-

Both employed at University of Pittsburgh.

Conant, James Bryant, 1893-1978

Both employed at Harvard University.

Creutz, E.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Drell, Sidney D. (Sidney David), 1926-

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

DuBridge, Lee A. (Lee Alvin), 1901-1994

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Eisenhart, Luther Pfahler, 1876-1965

Both employed at Princeton University.

Ference, Michael, 1911-

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Feynman, Richard P. (Richard Phillips), 1918-1988

Both employed at Princeton University.

Fitch, Val L., 1923-2015

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Friedman, Herbert, 1916-2000

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Frieman, E. A.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Frosch, Robert A. (Robert Alan), 1928-

Both employed at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Garwin, Richard L.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Gehrels, Neil

Both employed at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Gell-Mann, Murray

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Goldberger, Marvin L.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Haggerty, Patrick E.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Handler, Philip, 1917-1981

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Hewlett, William R.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Hornig, Donald F., 1920-2013

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Jones, Robert T. (Robert Thomas), 1910-1999

Both worked at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

MacDonald, Gordon J. (Gordon James), 1929-2002

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Mather, John C.

Both employed at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Montroll, E. W.

Both employed at Princeton University.

Pake, G. E. (George Edward)

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Pierce, George Washington, 1872-1956

Both employed at Harvard University.

Pitzer, Kenneth S. (Kenneth Sanborn), 1914-

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Raney, William P.

Both employed at National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Robertson, H. P. (Howard Percy), 1903-1961

Both employed at Princeton University.

Rudnick, Isadore, 1917-

Both employed at University of California, Los Angeles.

Seitz, Frederick, 1911-2008

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Shenstone, A. G. (Allen Goodrich)

Both employed at Princeton University.

Simon, Herbert A. (Herbert Alexander), 1916-2001

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Slichter, Charles P.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Smith, Lloyd H., 1924-

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Smyth, Henry De Wolf, 1898-1986

Both employed at Princeton University.

Tape, Gerald Frederick, 1915-2005

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Townes, Charles H.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Truxal, John G.

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Wheeler, John Archibald, 1911-2008

Both employed at Princeton University.

Wigner, Eugene Paul, 1902-1995

Both employed at Princeton University.

Wilson, Robert R., 1914-2000

Both employed at Princeton University.

Wood, Harland G. (Harland Goff), 1907-1991

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Wu, C. S. (Chien-shiung), 1912-1997

Both employed at Princeton University.

York, Herbert F. (Herbert Frank)

Both worked on President's Science Advisory Committee.

Additional

Goldberg, Leo

Havens, William W. (William Westerfield), 1920-2004

O'Dell, C. Robert (Charles Robert), 1937-

Institutions

Major Positions

Aerojet-General Corporation

Vice President, Systems.

Harvard University. Cruft Laboratory

Special Research Associate.

Hughes Aircraft Company

Director, Theory and Analysis Laboratory.

Princeton University. Department of Physics

Instructor.

Ramo-Wooldridge Corporation

Associate Director, Guided Missile Laboratory to Director, Electronics, Guided Missile Research Division, Space Technology Laboratories.

Space Electronic Corporation

President.

United States. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency

Consultant.

United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Administrator (served twice).

University of California, Los Angeles. Department of Physics

Instructor.

University of Pittsburgh. Department of Physics

Whiteford Professor of Technology and Energy Resources.

University of Utah

President.

Professional Activities & Affiliations

California Institute of Technology. Division of Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy

Obtained PhD in Physics (1948).

Columbia University. Department of Physics

Obtained AB.

National Academy of Engineering

Member, Governing Council.

National Research Council (U.S.)

Member, Executive Committee, Governing Board.

Rockefeller Foundation

Member, Board of Trustees.

United States. Air Force. Office of Scientific Research

Member, Scientific Advisory Board.

United States. Department of Energy. Office of Science

Chair, Energy Research Advisory Board.

United States. National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics

Member, Subcommittee on Stability and Control.

United States. President's Science Advisory Committee

Consultant; Member; Member, Command Control and Intelligence Panel; Member, Military Aircraft Panel; and Member, Strategic Weapons Panel.

Resources

Archival Resources

Author

James Chipman Fletcher papers, 1933-1992.

Marriott Library. Special Collections

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA

National Air and Space Museum Glennan-Webb-Seamans Project oral history interviews, 1985-1990.

Archives Division

Smithsonian Institution. National Air and Space Museum

MRC 322, Washington, DC, 20560, USA

Subject

Oral history interview with Charles Robert O'Dell, 1985 May 21 to 23.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with Leo Goldberg, 1978 May 16 and 17, and 1982.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Oral history interview with William W. Havens, 1991 February 21, July 17, 29, Augut 5, 12 and 14.

Niels Bohr Library & Archives

American Institute of Physics

One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740, USA

Published Resources

Subject

"A Western Mormon in Washington, D.C.: James C. Fletcher, NASA, and the Final Frontier," Pacific Historical Review 64 (1995): 217-241