Alice King Chatham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alice King Chatham
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Alice King Chatham, appearing on the television program To Tell the Truth in 1964
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Alice King
March 28, 1908 Dayton, Ohio, USA
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| Died | July 8, 1989 (aged 81) Marion, Ohio, US
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| Resting place | Dayton, Ohio |
| Education | Dayton Art Institute |
| Occupation | Sculptor, designer |
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| Spouse(s) | Joshua D. Chatham |
Alice King Chatham (born March 28, 1908 – died July 8, 1989) was an American sculptor. She used her artistic skills to design special helmets, oxygen masks, and other safety gear. This equipment was made for pilots, astronauts, and even animals used in important tests. She worked for the United States Air Force and NASA, helping to make space and flight safer.
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Designing for Flight and Space
Early Work at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
Alice King studied art at the Dayton Art Institute. In 1942, the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) asked for her help. They needed someone with a background in sculpture to design better breathing masks for pilots.
She joined the Aero Medical Laboratory at WPAFB. There, she helped create the first successful masks that could handle high pressure. These masks allowed pilots to breathe safely at very high altitudes, like 20,000 feet (about 6,100 meters) and even 55,000 feet (about 16,760 meters). This was a huge improvement, as older masks caused pilots pain. Her designs helped pilots fly higher and safer without passing out.
X-Plane Projects and Flight Suits
Alice King Chatham also worked on the X-1 project. This project led to Chuck Yeager breaking the sound barrier for the first time. She improved helmet designs by adding rigid plexiglass around the ears. This new design worked well at simulated altitudes of 106,000 feet (about 32,300 meters)!
These improvements were used in flight suits made in 1946. While some people thought Chuck Yeager wore one of these special suits for his famous flight, he actually wore a regular flight suit. Still, Alice King Chatham's work was very important for the X-plane program.
Contributions to the Space Program
After her work with the Air Force, Alice King Chatham joined NASA and the Douglas Aircraft Company. She helped design equipment for the exciting new space program.
- She designed the oxygen mask and harness for Albert II. Albert II was a rhesus monkey and the first monkey, and first mammal, in space in 1949.
- She also created pressurized suits and helmets for chimpanzees. These chimps were used to test ejection seats for a project called Project Whoosh.
- Her designs weren't just for primates! She even designed a suit for a St. Bernard dog. This dog helped test high-altitude parachutes.
Alice King Chatham also designed for humans. She made casts of the astronauts' heads for Project Mercury. This helped create custom-fitted masks and helmets for each astronaut. She even worked on designing special stretch knit clothes and a bed for use in space. In 1964, she appeared on the TV show To Tell the Truth to talk about her amazing work.
She later started her own company, Alice King Chatham Medical Arts. This company made harnesses and other special equipment for both humans and animals in scientific research.
Death
Alice King Chatham passed away on July 8, 1989, in Marion, Ohio. Her husband, Joshua D. Chatham, had passed away before her.
