Milton Ames was a leading aerodynamicist involved with the US space program. Ames earned a BS in aeronautical engineering from Georgia Tech in 1936 and joined the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory the same year. In 1941 he transferred to the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) headquarters where he served on the technical staff, becoming chief of the aerodynamics division in 1946. Following the creation of NASA, Ames was appointed chief of the aerodynamics and flight mechanics research division. In 1960 he assumed deputy directorship of the office of advanced research programs at NASA headquarters and then directorship of space vehicles in 1961. He retired from the space program in 1972.