Take the First Step Toward Your Success Today
Walter McAfee was an African American mathematician and physicist who played a crucial role in determining the speed of the Moon as part of Project Diana in 1946. Project Diana was a groundbreaking experiment conducted by the U.S. Army Signal Corps at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. It successfully bounced radar signals off the Moon, marking the first time humans actively communicated with an extraterrestrial body.
McAfee’s Contribution:
McAfee provided the critical theoretical calculations for the speed of the Moon relative to Earth, which was essential for the success of the radar experiment. Since the Moon is constantly moving, the team needed precise calculations to account for the Doppler effect and properly target the radar signals. His calculations helped ensure that the signals would correctly reflect back to Earth.
Legacy and Impact:
- His work paved the way for modern radar astronomy, satellite communication, and space exploration.
- Despite his contributions, McAfee’s role was often overlooked due to racial barriers in the mid-20th century.
- He later became a distinguished scientist at the U.S. Army Electronics Research and Development Command.
McAfee’s work was instrumental in proving that radar waves could penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere and travel to space, which ultimately contributed to future space missions.
