High-Speed Dreams: NASA and the Technopolitics of Supersonic Transportation, 1945-1999

by Erik M. Conway

Overview

In High-Speed Dreams, Erik M. Conway constructs an insightful history that focuses primarily on the political and commercial factors responsible for the rise and fall of American supersonic transport research programs. Conway charts commercial supersonic research efforts through the changing relationships between international and domestic politicians, military/NASA contractors, private investors, and environmentalists. He documents post-World War II efforts at the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics and the Defense Department to generate supersonic flight technologies, the attempts to commercialize these technologies by Britain and the United States during the 1950s and 1960s, environmental campaigns against SST technology in the 1970s, and subsequent attempts to revitalize supersonic technology at the end of the century.

High-Speed Dreams is a sophisticated study of politics, economics, nationalism, and the global pursuit of progress. Historians, along with participants in current aerospace research programs, will gain valuable perspective on the interaction of politics and technology.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780801890819
Publisher:	Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date:	11/03/2008
Series:	New Series in NASA History
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	392
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.20(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Erik M. Conway serves as historian, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
List of Abbreviations Used in the Text
Introduction
1. Constructing the Supersonic Age
2. Technological Rivalry and the Cold War
3. Engineering the National Champion
4. Of Noise, Jumbos, and SSTs
5. Of Ozone, the Concorde, and SSTs
6. The Airbus, the Orient Express, and the Renaissance of Speed
7. Toward a Green SST
8. Sic Transit HSCT
Conclusion
Notes
Essay on Sources
Index

What People are Saying About This

Alex Roland

Impressive and thorough. An important contribution to our understanding of state-supported large-scale technological development in America. It will be of interest to aerospace enthusiasts, historians of technology, and students of public policy.

From the Publisher

Impressive and thorough. An important contribution to our understanding of state-supported large-scale technological development in America. It will be of interest to aerospace enthusiasts, historians of technology, and students of public policy.
—Alex Roland, Duke University, former president of the Society for the History of Technology

Editorial Reviews

Of interest to historians and social scientists concerned with the politics and economics of public policy . . . An important book on a fascinating topic.
—Choice

A concise and thoroughly fascinating history of the train wreck that was the U.S. supersonic civil transport programs.
—Air and Space Magazine

A readable narrative on the interplay between politics, technology, and economics.
—Airways

Conway seems to have struck the right balance between the nuts-and-bolts of aircraft design and discussion of larger issues, particularly state support for advanced technology . . . An original and valuable contribution to the saga of a dream deferred.
—Virginia P. Dawson, Technology and Culture

Conway does an excellent job of explaining the nationalism inherent in supersonic transport during the Cold War and the domestic American politics surrounding the project.
—Stephen G. Craft, Isis

A serious academic work . . . likely to interest historians and those interested in aerospace research.
—Satellite Evolution Group

Comprehensive and enjoyable . . . A cautionary tale of half-baked federal technology and economic policies high-jacking public funds for a concept aircraft that was an engineering boondoggle, a financial black hole and an environmental fiend.
—Thomas Yates, History and Technology

[Conway's] examination of the development of supersonic aviation and the various SST programs provides a fascinating internal look at how the technology developed, while also connecting that development with the issue of the larger meaning of technology in society.
—Andrew Baird, Journal of American History

From the Publisher

A serious academic work . . . likely to interest historians and those interested in aerospace research.

Satellite Evolution Group

A concise and thoroughly fascinating history of the train wreck that was the U.S. supersonic civil transport programs.

Air and Space Magazine

A readable narrative on the interplay between politics, technology, and economics.

Airways

Conway seems to have struck the right balance between the nuts-and-bolts of aircraft design and discussion of larger issues, particularly state support for advanced technology . . . An original and valuable contribution to the saga of a dream deferred.

Technology and Culture - Virginia P. Dawson

Conway does an excellent job of explaining the nationalism inherent in supersonic transport during the Cold War and the domestic American politics surrounding the project.

Isis - Stephen G. Craft

"Of interest to historians and social scientists concerned with the politics and economics of public policy... An important book on a fascinating topic."

Choice

[Conway's] examination of the development of supersonic aviation and the various SST programs provides a fascinating internal look at how the technology developed, while also connecting that development with the issue of the larger meaning of technology in society.

Journal of American History - Andrew Baird

Comprehensive and enjoyable... A cautionary tale of half-baked federal technology and economic policies high-jacking public funds for a concept aircraft that was an engineering boondoggle, a financial black hole and an environmental fiend.

History and Technology - Thomas Yates

[Conway's] examination of the development of supersonic aviation and the various SST programs provides a fascinating internal look at how the technology developed, while also connecting that development with the issue of the larger meaning of technology in society.

— Andrew Baird

Journal of American History

Comprehensive and enjoyable... A cautionary tale of half-baked federal technology and economic policies high-jacking public funds for a concept aircraft that was an engineering boondoggle, a financial black hole and an environmental fiend.

— Thomas Yates

History and Technology

Conway does an excellent job of explaining the nationalism inherent in supersonic transport during the Cold War and the domestic American politics surrounding the project.

— Stephen G. Craft

Isis

Conway seems to have struck the right balance between the nuts-and-bolts of aircraft design and discussion of larger issues, particularly state support for advanced technology... An original and valuable contribution to the saga of a dream deferred.

— Virginia P. Dawson

Technology and Culture