Wernher von Braun

(1912 - 1977)

Born in Germany to wealthy landowner parents, Wernher von Braun joined rocketry groups in his youth, inspired by Herman Oberth, the Transylvanian rocketry theorist.

During World War II, Wernher developed an important role in the design of ballistic missiles for the German army. The culmination of this was the A-4, better known as the "V-2".

At the end of the War, Wernher and his team of rocket scientists surrendered themselves and their research to occupying American troops, and under Project Paperclip were brought to the United States to assist in the development of missiles there.

In the early 1950s, Cornelius Ryan from Collier's magazine approached von Braun to help create a series of articles about space. Wernher, being an enthusiastic space advocate agreed, and the series became legend. The Walt Disney company also enlisted his help, and films were made based on his ideas.

In the 1960s, Wernher von Braun became instrumental in the Apollo Program, heading the team that developed the Saturn V, the enormous rocket that enabled American astronauts to reach the Moon, and the culmination of a dream that had powered von Braun for almost all of his life.

Von Braun dreamed of the Space Shuttle, and manned missions to Mars. However, budget cuts after Apollo meant these dreams were to remain unrealized in his lifetime.

 

To learn more about Wernher von Braun, visit:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wernher_von_Braun