An assessment of the scientific production of the Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aerospacial (1990-2005)

Abstract

The National Institute of Aerospace Technique (INTA) is the establishment for aeronautics and space research since its creation in 1942. During more than sixty Scire. 12 : 2 (jul.-dic. 2006) 119-135. ISSN 1135-3716. years of history, INTAhas performed an enormous variety of activities in the basic, applied and development research. Result of this research process is a vast scientific production that has been expressed in the publication of monographs, articles in technical and scientific periodicals, and communications presented to specialized congresses or workshops as well. INTAhas also produced a significant amount of grey literature in the form of standards, technical reports, memorandums, and other types of documents. The main aim of this paper is to analyze this production during the period 1990-2005, through a quantitative and qualitative study: a) from a quantitative perspective, we would try to identify the amount of INTApublications, its impact, the degree of collaboration with other institutions, the disciplines covered... To get these data, multisector information search tools (ISI, for instance) are going to be used; b) from a qualitative perspective, and as result from the previous study, we will try to identify the different strategies that INTA scientists follow for their scientific spread, that vary depending his or their formation, adscription, origin or branch. Also, we will take into account the problems and difficulties found in the process for finding data because of the enormous diversity of forms to identify authors, institutions, publications or periodicals in the sources used. This situation implies added difficulties in the elaboration of reliable conclusions.