Ralph Grayson
Encyclopedia
Ralph Lawrence Grayson was a scientist
, engineer
, pilot, attorney
, soldier
, father and husband. He was born into poverty
, the son of an Arkansas
sharecropper. He went on to be a pioneer in network computing
and play a lead role in the development of the Space Shuttle
.
; the eldest of eleven children born to Albert Grayson. The first eight children were mothered by Albert's first wife, Pearl Grayson (maiden name, Pearl Agnes Foster, 1895-1934). Pearl died on July 23, 1934 (circumstances unknown). The following year Albert remarried and had three more children with Ruby Grayson (Maiden name, Ruby Tanner).
Ralph's siblings:
Ralph's half siblings:
(FAA) as Associate Commander, Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center. During this time, NASA
made many overtures to recruit him into various executive level roles within the agency. He initially turned these offers down. He was then approached with a package deal through Battelle
to be an executive level member of the Space Shuttle development team, employed as a subcontractor. He accepted.
His title on the Space Shuttle Project was Principle Research Scientist, Aviation Safety Reporting, System Project Office located at Moffett Field Naval Air Station in Mountain View, California
.
Ralph Grayson was an international calibre expert in the field of aviation safety
— human error
, redundancy systems
, and computerized safety systems. His technical papers written during his final years at the FAA and his time at NASA would become reference material within the field for a generation. Many of both the procedural and technological innovations he brought to the Air Traffic Control system outlived him, and remained in use into the 21st century. The remaining fleet of Space Shuttles are scheduled for retirement in 2010.
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
, engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
, pilot, attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
, soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, father and husband. He was born into poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
, the son of an Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
sharecropper. He went on to be a pioneer in network computing
Network computing
Network computing is a generic term in computing which refers to computers or nodes working together over a network.It may also mean:*Cloud computing*Distributed computing*Virtual Network Computing...
and play a lead role in the development of the Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
.
Early years
Ralph Lawrence Grayson was born April 29, 1921 in Fort Smith, ArkansasFort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
; the eldest of eleven children born to Albert Grayson. The first eight children were mothered by Albert's first wife, Pearl Grayson (maiden name, Pearl Agnes Foster, 1895-1934). Pearl died on July 23, 1934 (circumstances unknown). The following year Albert remarried and had three more children with Ruby Grayson (Maiden name, Ruby Tanner).
Ralph's siblings:
- James Foster Grayson, born April 19, 1923
- Albert Grayson, Jr., born January 26, 1925
- Howard Eugene Grayson, born April 29, 1927
- Anna Lou Grayson, born June 22, 1929
- Horace Ray Grayson, born June 29, 1931, fraternal twin to Doris Mae
- Doris Mae Grayson, born June 29, 1931, fraternal twin to Horace Ray
- Peggy Jo Grayson, born September 17, 1932, died as an infant
Ralph's half siblings:
- Robert Lee Grayson, born December 9, 1935
- William Hugh Grayson, born July 11, 1938
- Donald David Grayson, born March 27, 1941
NASA
In 197_(date?) Ralph retired from the Federal Aviation AdministrationFederal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
(FAA) as Associate Commander, Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center. During this time, NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
made many overtures to recruit him into various executive level roles within the agency. He initially turned these offers down. He was then approached with a package deal through Battelle
Battelle Memorial Institute
Battelle Memorial Institute is a private nonprofit applied science and technology development company headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. Battelle is a charitable trust organized as a nonprofit corporation under the laws of the State of Ohio and is exempt from taxation under Section 501 of the...
to be an executive level member of the Space Shuttle development team, employed as a subcontractor. He accepted.
His title on the Space Shuttle Project was Principle Research Scientist, Aviation Safety Reporting, System Project Office located at Moffett Field Naval Air Station in Mountain View, California
Mountain View, California
-Downtown:Mountain View has a pedestrian-friendly downtown centered on Castro Street. The downtown area consists of the seven blocks of Castro Street from the Downtown Mountain View Station transit center in the north to the intersection with El Camino Real in the south...
.
Ralph Grayson was an international calibre expert in the field of aviation safety
Air safety
Air safety is a term encompassing the theory, investigation and categorization of flight failures, and the prevention of such failures through regulation, education and training. It can also be applied in the context of campaigns that inform the public as to the safety of air travel.-United...
— human error
Human Error
Human Error is the stage name of Rafał Kuczynski , a polish electronic musician, working mostly in the ambient music genre, produced only with a computer...
, redundancy systems
Redundancy (engineering)
In engineering, redundancy is the duplication of critical components or functions of a system with the intention of increasing reliability of the system, usually in the case of a backup or fail-safe....
, and computerized safety systems. His technical papers written during his final years at the FAA and his time at NASA would become reference material within the field for a generation. Many of both the procedural and technological innovations he brought to the Air Traffic Control system outlived him, and remained in use into the 21st century. The remaining fleet of Space Shuttles are scheduled for retirement in 2010.