Laurel van der Wal (September 22, 1924 – August 13, 2009) was an American mechanical and aeronautical engineer and paved the way for crewed space flight.
Laurel van der Wal (22 September 1924 – 13 Agustus 2009) adalah seorang insinyur aeronautika Amerika yang bekerja untuk memecahkan tantangan memelihara kehidupan manusia di ruang angkasa.
She developed and led Project MIA (Mouse-in-Able), which sent two mice into space in the nose cones of Thor-Able rockets and studied the psychological effects of U.S. space flight using mice as the test subjects.
Ia mengembangkan dan memimpin Proyek MIA (Mouse-in-Able), yang mengirim dua ekor tikus ke luar angkasa melalui kerucut hidung roket Thor-Able dan mempelajari dampak psikologis penerbangan luar angkasa AS dengan menggunakan tikus sebagai subjek uji.
She was awarded the 1961 Society of Women Engineers highest award, the Achievement Award, for contributions to bioengineering and bioastronautics.
Pada tahun 1961, Society of Women Engineers menganugerahinya penghargaan tertinggi, Achievement Award, atas kontribusinya di bidang bioteknologi dan bioastronautika.
When asked if she would want to go into space herself, she answered, "I'd go in a minute, if they'd let me."
Ketika ditanya apakah ia ingin pergi ke luar angkasa sendiri, ia menjawab, "Saya akan pergi sebentar lagi, jika mereka mengizinkan saya.
Van der Wal was born in San Francisco, the daughter of Lillian and Richard van der Wal, both from Spokane, Washington.
" Laurel van der Wal lahir di San Francisco, putri Lillian dan Richard van der Wal, dari Spokane, Washington.
Her mother was a former teacher and an alumna of the University of Washington; her father was a businessman.
Ibunya adalah mantan guru dan alumni Universitas Washington; ayahnya adalah seorang pengusaha.
She graduated from high school at age 15, and worked as a model, an art instructor, a deputy sheriff, a showgirl, a railroad switch tower operator, and a casino shill as a young woman.
Dia lulus dari sekolah menengah pada usia 15, dan bekerja sebagai model, instruktur seni, wakil polisi, gadis panggung, operator menara saklar kereta api, dan di kasino waktu muda.
She admired pilots and hoped to earn a pilot license, but instead worked as an aircraft mechanic during World War II, at Hamilton Air Force Base.
Dia mengagumi pilot dan berharap mendapatkan lisensi pilot, tetapi malah bekerja sebagai mekanik pesawat selama Perang Dunia II, di Pangkalan Angkatan Udara Hamilton.
Other Scholarships and fellowships included: 1947 Howard Holmes Scholarship, University of California 1948 Douglas Aircraft Scholarship, University of California 1947-1949 Reader, Descriptive Geometry, Engineering Design Division, University of California. 1949-1950 Reader, Nomography, Engineering Design Division, University of California 1949 - 1950 Teaching Assistant, Senior Laboratory Course, Mechanical Engineering Division, University of California. 1951 - 1953 National Research Council (NACA) Fellowship in Aeronautics, Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm, Sweden.
Laurel van der Wal memperoleh beasiswa dan keanggotaan dari: Beasiswa Howard Holmes 1947, Universitas California; Beasiswa Douglas Aircraft 1948, Universitas California; 1947–1949, Geometri Deskriptif, Divisi Desain Teknik, Universitas California; 1949–1950, Nomografi, Divisi Desain Teknik, Universitas California; 1949–1950, Asisten Pengajar, Mata Kuliah Laboratorium Senior, Divisi Teknik Mesin, Universitas California; 1951–1953, Beasiswa National Research Council (NACA) di bidang Aeronautika, Royal Institute of Technology Stockholm, Swedia.
In 1944, Van der Wal began her technical career as an aircraft engine mechanic with the U.S. Army Air Forces at Hamilton Field Air Force Base, California.
Pada tahun 1944, Van der Wal memulai karier teknisnya sebagai mekanik mesin pesawat terbang di Angkatan Udara Angkatan Darat AS di Pangkalan Angkatan Udara Hamilton Field, California.
As a young engineer van der Wal worked at Douglas Aircraft as a data analyst on the Nike missile program and later designing missile systems for the Ramo-Wooldridge Corporation.
Saat masih muda, van der Wal bekerja di Douglas Aircraft sebagai analis data pada program rudal Nike dan kemudian merancang sistem rudal untuk Ramo-Wooldridge Corporation.
Starting in 1958, she was the project engineer on three MIA (Mouse-in-Able) launches from Cape Canaveral, as head of bioastronautics at Space Technology Laboratories.
Mulai tahun 1958, ia menjadi insinyur proyek pada tiga peluncuran MIA (Mouse-in-Able) dari Cape Canaveral, sebagai kepala bioastronautika di Space Technology Laboratories.
She was named the Los Angeles Times's "1960 Woman of the Year in Science" for her work.
Ia dinobatkan sebagai "Wanita Sains Tahun 1960" oleh Los Angeles Times atas karyanya.
During her university career (1947–1949) Van der Wal worked on an aerodynamic heating project that evaluated wind tunnel operation, model design and construction and theoretical analysis.
Selama karier universitasnya (1947–1949), Van der Wal mengerjakan proyek pemanasan aerodinamis yang mengevaluasi pengoperasian terowongan angin, desain dan konstruksi model, serta analisis teoritis.
She then tackled a Los Pressures Project which examined low-density subsonic and supersonic tunnels.
Ia kemudian menangani Proyek Los Pressures yang meneliti terowongan subsonik dan supersonik berdensitas rendah.
In 1950, Van der Wal joined Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc. as a laboratory research analyst, working on Servomechanism in the Guided Missiles Division.
Pada tahun 1950, Van der Wal bergabung dengan Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc. sebagai analis riset laboratorium, yang mengerjakan Servomekanisme di Divisi Rudal Terpandu.
She was involved in control system design and participated in firing program activities at White Sands Proving Ground, New Mexico for the NIKE program.
Ia terlibat dalam desain sistem kontrol dan berpartisipasi dalam aktivitas program penembakan di White Sands Proving Ground, New Mexico untuk program NIKE.
In 1953, Van der Wal moved to New Jersey and began work at Reaction Motors Inc. of Rockaway, New Jersey in the Turbopump Group, Development Section.
Pada tahun 1953, Van der Wal pindah ke New Jersey dan mulai bekerja di Reaction Motors Inc. di Rockaway, New Jersey di Turbopump Group, Bagian Pengembangan.
During her time with Reaction Motors, she worked on theoretical investigations of the starting time of self-sustaining turbopump rocket systems, evaluation of fuel-tank pressurization systems, determination of test area liquid oxygen losses and boil-off loss reduction possibilities.
Selama bekerja di Reaction Motors, ia mengerjakan investigasi teoritis tentang waktu mulai sistem roket turbopump yang dapat bertahan sendiri, evaluasi sistem tekanan tangki bahan bakar, penentuan kehilangan oksigen cair di area pengujian, dan kemungkinan pengurangan kehilangan akibat penguapan.
Later in 1953, Van der Wal joined the Rheem Manufacturing Company, Government Products Division, Research and Development Laboratories in Downey, California as a Design Engineer.
Kemudian pada tahun 1953, Van der Wal bergabung dengan Rheem Manufacturing Company, Divisi Produk Pemerintah, Laboratorium Penelitian dan Pengembangan di Downey, California sebagai Insinyur Desain.
She began working on tool design, proposals, design and testing of fuse components for fast-burning rockets before moving to the aircraft engineering department as an aerodynamicist.
Ia mulai mengerjakan desain alat, proposal, desain, dan pengujian komponen sekering untuk roket yang terbakar cepat sebelum pindah ke departemen teknik pesawat terbang sebagai ahli aerodinamika.
Project MIA placed white mice in the nose cones of Thor-Able rockets to measure their heartbeats.
Project MIA, atau Mice-In-Able, menempatkan tikus putih di kerucut hidung roket Thor-Able untuk mengukur detak jantung mereka.
This data was telemetered to Earth and provided data on the physiological effects of space flight.
Data ini dikirim melalui telemeter ke Bumi dan memberikan data tentang efek fisiologis penerbangan luar angkasa.
Another cylinder contained air puritans and a blower system circulated air through the Mouse House.
Silinder lain berisi puritan udara dan sistem blower mengalirkan udara melalui Rumah Tikus.
The total weight of all the MIA equipment was ten pounds.
Berat total semua peralatan MIA adalah sepuluh pon.
Although the nose cones were not located by recovery ships, telemetry proved that the mice had normal heart rates while traveling at speeds exceeding 15,000 miles per hour, reached a record altitude of 14,000 statute miles, and withstood decelerations well over 60 g’s and nose cone skin temperatures of several hundred degrees Fahrenheit.
Meskipun kerucut hidung tidak ditemukan oleh kapal penyelamat, telemetri membuktikan bahwa tikus memiliki denyut jantung normal saat melaju dengan kecepatan melebihi 15.000 mil per jam, mencapai ketinggian rekor 14.000 mil per jam, dan menahan deselerasi lebih dari 60 g dan suhu kulit kerucut hidung beberapa ratus derajat Fahrenheit.
Her work paved the way for crewed space flight in 1961.
Karyanya membuka jalan bagi penerbangan luar angkasa berawak pada tahun 1961.
In 1961, Van der Wal was appointed to the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners and served as a commissioner until 1967.
Pada tahun 1961, Van der Wal diangkat menjadi anggota Dewan Komisaris Bandara Los Angeles dan menjabat sebagai komisaris hingga tahun 1967.
In 1968, she served as Los Angeles International Airport's planner.
Pada tahun 1968, ia menjabat sebagai perencana Bandara Internasional Los Angeles.
Engineer, University of California publication, April 1947; a review of prosthetic devices research at the University of California.
Engineer, publikasi Universitas California, April 1947; tinjauan penelitian perangkat prostetik di Universitas California.
co-authored with Dr. S. Cornog.
ditulis bersama dengan Dr. S. Cornog.
co-authored with H.M. Brown, W. H. Emrick.
ditulis bersama dengan H.M. Brown, W. H. Emrick.
co-authored with W. D. Young.
ditulis bersama dengan W. D. Young.
ARS Journal, October 1959.
ARS Journal, Oktober 1959.
co-authored with Dr. V. S. Haneman.
ditulis bersama dengan Dr. V. S. Haneman.
Astronautics, July 1960 “Package Experiment for Bioastronautics Research.”
“Package Experiment for Bioastronautics Research.”
Van der Wal was also a Board Director of the Southern California chapter of the American Rocket Society (1959-1960), where she took particular interest in partnering with Explorer Scouts to teach children about space and aeronautics.
Van der Wal adalah direktur American Rocket Society cabang California Selatan, di mana ia sangat tertarik bermitra dengan Explorer Scouts untuk mengajarkan anak-anak tentang luar angkasa dan aeronautika.
"Kids all over the world are excited about space," she explained in 1960, "because this is the challenge to their generation".
"Anak-anak di seluruh dunia sangat antusias dengan luar angkasa," jelasnya pada tahun 1960, "karena ini merupakan tantangan bagi generasi mereka".
As the space program gained popularity in the 1960s, she was a popular speaker at women's clubs, teachers' meetings and other events.
Seiring dengan semakin populernya program luar angkasa pada tahun 1960-an, ia menjadi pembicara populer di klub wanita, pertemuan guru, dan acara lainnya.
1960 Los Angeles Times “Woman Scientist of the Year” 1961 Aerospace Medical Association Wives' Wing of the Aerospace "outstanding women scientist.
1961 Aerospace Medical Association Wives' Wing of the Aerospace “outstanding women scientist”.
Van der Wal was the first woman appointed to the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners, in 1961, and served as a commissioner until 1967.
Selain karyanya di bidang teknik, Laurel van der Wal adalah wanita pertama yang ditunjuk menjadi anggota Dewan Komisaris Bandara Los Angeles, pada tahun 1961, dan menjabat sebagai komisaris hingga tahun 1967.[9]
Laurel van der Wal married fellow engineer William Henry Roennau in 1961, in Arlington, Virginia.
Laurel van der Wal menikah dengan sesama insinyur William Henry Roennau pada tahun 1961, di Arlington, Virginia.
The Roennaus had two sons, Jonathan and Michael.
Keluarga Roennau memiliki dua putra, Jonathan dan Michael.
Laurel and William later divorced.
Laurel dan William kemudian bercerai.
She retired in the late 1980s, and died in August 2009, in Santa Monica.
Ia pensiun pada akhir tahun 1980-an, dan meninggal pada bulan Agustus 2009, di Santa Monica.