Dr. Kenneth Plotkin’s myriad contributions to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s supersonic mission

Abstract

The world as a whole, and NASA, in particular, owes a large debt of gratitude to Dr. Kenneth Plotkin for his decades of service in the field of sonic boom research and advancement of quiet supersonic transportation. This presentation will highlight the contributions of Dr. Plotkin to a myriad of NASA projects. One of the largest efforts was the assembly and continual improvement of sonic boom propagation software tools, collectively called PCBoom, which allowed the analysis of real and imagined vehicles from Mach cutoff conditions to the hypersonic. He was a driving force behind reshaping aircraft to demonstrate quieter sonic booms, first with the plans for a modified Firebee drone and SR-71, and then with the highly successful Shaped Sonic Boom Demonstrator series of flights. Dr. Plotkin’s partnership with NASA Armstrong resulted in the development of the low boom dive maneuver to allow quiet sonic boom testing on structures and people using existing aircraft, as well as a sonic boom cockpit display that has recently been tested in flight. Dr. Plotkin was also instrumental in such research campaigns as SCAMP, WSPR, and FaINT. Throughout all, Dr. Plotkin’s phenomenal intellect, tireless dedication, and irreverent humor made working with him a joy.