Ernest “Ernie” A. Mackley
Ernie graduated from the University of Colorado and was employed in 1951 at NACA/NASA Langley Research Center as a research engineer in the High Speed Research Division. He conducted high-speed inlet research in the Gas Dynamics Branch prior to being assigned to the Hypersonic Airbreathing Propulsion Branch (HAPB) in 1963.
He continued research with advanced inlet designs for advance propulsion systems. Ernie was a major pioneer in the research of engine fuel combustion in supersonic flow within a ramjet type flowpath (designated Supersonic Combustion Ramjets (SCRAMJETS)). He assisted Dr. Rupert in advocating and establishing the Hypersonic Research Engine (HRE) Project. The HRE was the first complete, gaseous-hydrogen burning, research scramjet engine developed by NASA. Tests were conducted at hypersonic speeds from Mach 5 to 7 (5 -7 times the speed of sound) in ground facilities and the engine was proposed for flight tests on the X-15-A research plane. Ernie severed as Assistant Manager and then Manager of this nearly ten year multi-million dollar project that produced valuable information and guide lines for further hypersonic scramjet propulsion system research and development.
He was instrumental in the design, research, and implementation of hypersonic propulsion test facilities for testing small-scale hydrogen burning research scramjet engines at Langley. From the leadership of the HRE project Ernie played a key role in integrating the research of the HAPB into the National Aerospace Place focus on national priorities.
Throughout this era he was the enabler of the very productive partnering of his colleagues with industry experts in transferring unique NASA “smarts” to the major national programs that mattered. He managed from within NASA a technology revolution which he recognized was important for the future. Ernie strongly advocated for oxygen addition to the flow of the Langley 8-Ft. High Temperature Tunnel (8-Ft. HTT) that permitted large-scale, hydrogen and hydrocarbon fuel burning scramjets (up to 12 feet long) to be tested at Mach 5 -7; this is the only facility of its kind in the world.
Ernie’s leadership and the mentoring of younger engineers were instrumental in the successful scramjet research continuing during the National Aerospace Spaceplane Project (NASP) and the Hyper-X Project that successfully flight tested two scramjet-powered vehicles (X-43-A) at flight speeds of Mach 7 and 10. Ernie had been Assistant Branch Head of the HAPB for several years when he retired with over 41 years of civil service and another five more years as a NASA contractor/consultant. He received numerous Superior Performance and Outstanding Performance awards and one of the highest civil service awards, the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ernie was loved and highly respected by his peers that worked closely with him and highly respected by all in the hypersonic/scramjet research national and international community.
Ernie died at home November 5, 2008.
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