Ira H. Abbott

(1906-1988)

Aerospace engineer

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Ira H. Abbott (July 18, 1906 – November 3, 1988) was an American aerospace engineer. A graduate of MIT, Abbott worked for Langley Aeronautical Laboratory in 1929. He was a Director of Aeronautical and Space Research at NASA during the middle of the twentieth century and before that was employed by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). Abbott supervised the X-15, supersonic transport, nuclear rocket and advanced reentry programs. He retired in 1962. As Assistant Director of NACA, Abbott was decisive in keeping Ames Research Center focused on research instead of moving into operations during the development of the proposed Orbiting Astronomical Observatory in 1960. In recognition for his "outstanding contributions" to airfoil research and his leadership, he was inducted into the first round of the NACA/NASA Hall of Fame on August 13, 2015.