Wernher von Braun From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Wernher von Braun Wernher von Braun.jpg von Braun at his desk at Marshall Space Flight Center in May 1964, with models of the Saturn rocket family Born Wernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun March 23, 1912 Wirsitz, Posen Province, Prussia, German Empire (modern Wyrzysk, Piła County, Poland) Died June 16, 1977 (aged 65) Alexandria, Virginia, United States Cause of death Pancreatic cancer Resting place Alexandria, Virginia, United States Alma mater Technical University of Berlin Occupation Rocket engineer and designer Spouse(s) Maria Luise von Quistorp (m. 1947–77) Children Iris Careen von Braun Margrit Cecile von Braun Peter Constantine von Braun Parents Magnus von Braun (senior) (1877–1972) Emmy von Quistorp (1886–1959) Awards Elliott Cresson Medal (1962) National Medal of Science (1975) Military career Allegiance Nazi Germany Service/branch Flag Schutzstaffel.svg SS Years of service 1937–1945 Rank Sturmbannführer, SS Battles/wars World War II Awards Knights Cross of the War Merit Cross (1944) War Merit Cross, First Class with Swords (1943) Other work Rocket engineer, NASA, Chief Architect of the Saturn V rocket of the Apollo manned moon missions Wernher Magnus Maximilian, Freiherr von Braun (March 23, 1912 – June 16, 1977) was a German and American aerospace engineer and space architect. He was one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Germany during World War II and, subsequently, in the United States. He is credited as being one of the Fathers of Rocket Science. In his 20s and early 30s, von Braun was the central figure in the Nazis rocket development programme, 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. Contents
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 21:44:14 +0000
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