Editing Ivan Getting (section)

==Major technical and administrative contributions==
While at MIT Radiation Laboratory, Getting's group developed the first automatic microwave tracking fire control radar, the SCR 584.  This system, along with the [[proximity fuze]], significantly reduced damage to London by the [[V-1 flying bomb]]s (also known as "doodlebugs" or "buzz bombs") launched by Germany from June 1944 of the Second World War, by enabling accurate anti-aircraft fire to destroy the missiles. On 28 August 1944, the last day on which significant numbers of V-1s were launched against London, of 104 fired, 68 were destroyed by artillery, 16 by other means, and 16 crashed.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Buderi|first=Robert|title=The V-1 menace secret weapons that saved Britain: After five years of war, Britain was shocked when the pilot;ess V-1s breached its defences to claim thousands of lives. The only way to fight back, writes Robert Buderi, was to rush through three top-secr|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg14219283-600/|access-date=2021-03-17|website=New Scientist|language=en-US}}</ref>

Getting was an early designer and proponent of satellite-based navigation systems which led to the development and deployment of the Global Positioning System (GPS). While in Raytheon he oversaw the development of the first three-dimensional, time-difference-of-arrival position-finding system – developed in response to an Air Force requirement for a guidance system to be used with a proposed [[Intercontinental Ballistic Missile]] (ICBM) that would achieve mobility by traveling on a railroad system.  While at The Aerospace Corporation he oversaw studies on the use of satellites as the basis for a navigation system for vehicles moving rapidly in three dimensions.  In addition to his technical contributions to GPS, Getting was a tireless advocate of the project in the face of early resistance from the [[The Pentagon|Pentagon]].

He was also involved in the development of the first high-speed [[Flip-flop (electronics)|flip-flop]] circuit at [[Harvard]]. He also was involved in the development of the Navy [[Mark 56 Gun Fire Control System|GFCS MK-56]] anti-aircraft fire control system; as well as in the development and building of a 350 [[megaelectronvolt|MeV]] [[synchrotron]] at [[MIT Radiation Laboratory]]. He also was involved in the development of the [[AIM-7 Sparrow|Sparrow III]] and [[MIM-23 Hawk|Hawk]] missile systems; as well as commercial production of [[transistor]]s at [[Raytheon]].

As a consultant to the US government: implementation of the Quick Reaction Capability for Electronic Counter-Measures; establishment of  the SHAPE [[Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe]] Laboratory at the Hague; deployment of U.S. air defense capability called the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) radar system; direction of studies on MX missile basing and long-range combat aircraft; technical analysis and design of a long-range supersonic bomber capable of reaching the former Soviet Union and returning without refueling (Getting's work is credited in the reinstatement of the [[B-1 Lancer|B-1 bomber]] funding by the U.S. Congress).
 
As member of the Undersea Warfare Committee of the National Research Council: Associate Director of Project Nobska sponsored by the U.S. Navy and concerning submarine warfare weapons; recommended a submarine-based, solid-propellant intermediate-range ballistic missile that formed the basis for the [[UGM-27 Polaris|Polaris]] missile.

At The Aerospace Corporation: planning for new ballistic missile systems; oversight of space launch systems; development of high-powered chemical lasers; contributions to the [[Project Mercury|Mercury]] and [[Project Gemini|Gemini]] space launch systems.