How do you protect astronauts from the intense heat generated when a spacecraft enters the Earth's atmosphere at speeds of more than 40,000 km/h? Bryan Erb (UAlberta Civil '52 MSc '55, DSc [Hon] '90) played a key role in designing the heat shields that made human space exploration possible
Erb was part of an eight-person team credited with performing the foundational work that allowed the Apollo space program-which developed the only manned spacecraft to reach the moon-to return astronauts safely to Earth. He conducted research into the heat shields that protected astronauts entering the Earth's atmosphere.
Astronauts and their spacecraft also needed to be protected from the Sun's rays during their trip to and from the moon. Erb devised the "barbecue" method of thermal balance for the Apollo flights-rotating the spacecraft on its horizontal axis to keep it evenly heated during its journey. He also played a major role in activating the Lunar Receiving Laboratory, where Apollo astronauts were quarantined and lunar material was examined. Later, he managed a project that used satellite data to conduct the first world-scale inventory of wheat. Following his retirement from NASA, he joined the Canadian Space Agency and represented Canada on the Space Station Program at the Johnson Space Center.
Erb was part of an eight-person team credited with performing the foundational work that allowed the Apollo space program-which developed the only manned spacecraft to reach the moon-to return astronauts safely to Earth. He conducted research into the heat shields that protected astronauts entering the Earth's atmosphere.
Astronauts and their spacecraft also needed to be protected from the Sun's rays during their trip to and from the moon. Erb devised the "barbecue" method of thermal balance for the Apollo flights-rotating the spacecraft on its horizontal axis to keep it evenly heated during its journey. He also played a major role in activating the Lunar Receiving Laboratory, where Apollo astronauts were quarantined and lunar material was examined. Later, he managed a project that used satellite data to conduct the first world-scale inventory of wheat. Following his retirement from NASA, he joined the Canadian Space Agency and represented Canada on the Space Station Program at the Johnson Space Center.