Space History Photo: Von Karman and JATO Team

News
By published
space history, naca, jato
The JATO team watches as Dr. Theodore von Karman sketches out a plan in January of 1940. (Image credit: JPL.)

In this 1940 historical photo from the U.S. space agency, Dr. Theodore von Karman (black coat) sketches out a plan on the wing of an airplane as his JATO engineering team looks on. From left to right: Dr. Clark B. Millikan, Dr. Martin Summerfield, Dr. Theodore von Karman, Dr. Frank J. Malina and pilot, Capt. Homer Boushey.

Captain Boushey would become the first American to pilot an airplane that used JATO (Jet Assisted Take-Off) solid propellent rockets.

The National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA) was a precursor to NASA. NACA was created by Congress in 1915.

Each weekday, SPACE.com looks back at the history of spaceflight through photos (archive).

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

NASA Archives
NASA Archives
U.S. Space Agency

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the U.S. government agency in charge of the civilian space program as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. Founded in 1958, NASA is a civilian space agency aimed at exploring the universe with space telescopes,  satellites, robotic spacecraft, astronauts and more. The space agency has 10 major centers based across the U.S. and launches robotic and crewed missions from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral Florida. It's astronaut corps is based at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. To follow NASA's latest mission, follow the space agency on Twitter or any other social channel, of visit: nasa.gov. 

More about spaceflight

See photos snapped in space by Europe's 1st private reentry capsule

Pine Barrens ablaze as seen from orbit | Space photo of the day for April 28, 2025

How to see a celestial 'gazelle' cross the night sky close to the Big Dipper this week
See more latest
Most Popular
Night sky map
How to see a celestial 'gazelle' cross the night sky close to the Big Dipper this week
The Nikon D850 on Space.com orange planet backdrop with deals logo
Capture May's full moon and the Eta Aquarid meteor shower with the best DSLR for astrophotography, now $600 off
A purple hued image showing two black circles circling around one another in the center. There is a wave of pinkish gas trailing behind each of them.
What can ripples in spacetime reveal about black holes? Quite a bit, it turns out
Recovery crews surround the return capsule of China's Shenzhou 19 astronaut mission after it returned to Earth on April 30, 2025.
China's Shenzhou 19 astronauts return to Earth after 6 months aboard Tiangong space station (photos)
Atmos Space Cargo's Phoenix 1 capsule is seen attached to the upper stage of its Falcon 9 rocket during the Bandwagon-3 mission on April 21, 2025.
See photos snapped in space by Europe's 1st private reentry capsule
a black and white photo of a man in a white button down shirt and black tie holding a piece of space equipment
NASA engineer Ed Smylie, who led carbon dioxide fix on Apollo 13, dies at 95
earth can be seen behind metallic tubing and wires on the outside of a spacecraft
Firefly Aerospace's Alpha rocket fails during launch, falls into the sea near Antarctica
The crew of Axiom Space's Ax-4 mission to the International Space Station. From left to right: pilot Shubhanshu Shukla, commander Peggy Whitson, mission specialist Sławosz Uznański and mission specialist Tibor Kapu.
SpaceX's next private astronaut mission to ISS, Ax-4, to launch May 29 for Axiom Space
A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket launches 27 of Amazon's Project Kuiper internet satellites to orbit on April 28, 2025.
New record! 6 rockets launch in less than 24 hours
The iconic Whirlpool galaxy Messier 51 is pictured along with the smaller galaxy NGC 5195 at the top of the image.
Amateur astronomer captures detailed photos of Croc's Eye and Whirlpool galaxies from backyard observatory