Wernher von Braun
Wernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun (March 23, 1912 – June
16, 1977) was a German-American rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures
in the development of rocket technology in Nazi
Germany during World War II and, subsequently, in the United
States.
In his 20s and early 30s, von Braun was the central figure in Germany's
rocket development program, responsible for the design and realization of the V-2 combat rocket during World War II. After the
war, he and some select members of his rocket team were taken to the United States as part of the then-secret Operation Paperclip. Von Braun worked on the United States Army intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM)
program before his group was assimilated by NASA. Under NASA, he served as director of the
newly formed Marshall Space Flight Center and as the chief
architect of the Saturn V launch vehicle, the superbooster that
propelled the Apollo spacecraft to the Moon.[1]
According to one NASA source, he is "without doubt, the greatest rocket
scientist in history".[2] His
crowning achievement was to lead the development of the Saturn
V booster rocket that helped land the first men on the Moon in July 1969.[3] In
1975 he received the National Medal of Science.
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wernher_von_Braun
16, 1977) was a German-American rocket scientist, aerospace engineer, space architect, and one of the leading figures
in the development of rocket technology in Nazi
Germany during World War II and, subsequently, in the United
States.
In his 20s and early 30s, von Braun was the central figure in Germany's
rocket development program, responsible for the design and realization of the V-2 combat rocket during World War II. After the
war, he and some select members of his rocket team were taken to the United States as part of the then-secret Operation Paperclip. Von Braun worked on the United States Army intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM)
program before his group was assimilated by NASA. Under NASA, he served as director of the
newly formed Marshall Space Flight Center and as the chief
architect of the Saturn V launch vehicle, the superbooster that
propelled the Apollo spacecraft to the Moon.[1]
According to one NASA source, he is "without doubt, the greatest rocket
scientist in history".[2] His
crowning achievement was to lead the development of the Saturn
V booster rocket that helped land the first men on the Moon in July 1969.[3] In
1975 he received the National Medal of Science.
From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wernher_von_Braun