Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Protection Of Our Fragile Upper Atmosphere, Clayton Clark

Faculty Honor Lectures

Termination of U.S. government support for the Supersonic Transport, SST, may eventually cost the United States its leadership in aviation and billions of dollars in international trade losses, yet if the world wide SST program is allowed to continue, the costs to mankind as a result of damage to environmental resources could be much higher. The decision to terminate the project was heavily based upon concern for possible changes in the properties of the upper atmosphere as a result of SST operations in that realm, with consequent danger to plant and animal life on the Earth below. Briefly, the concern …