Jack Parsons

Jack Parsons (born Marvel Whiteside Parsons on October 2, 1914 – died June 17, 1952) was an American rocket engineer, chemist, and occultist. He was one of the principal founders of both the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and the Aerojet Engineering Corporation. Parsons was a pioneering figure in the development of rocket propulsion systems in the United States, and his work helped to lay the foundation for the country's later ventures into space exploration. Despite his contributions to rocketry, his involvement with occultism and Thelema, a new religious movement founded by Aleister Crowley, has also attracted considerable attention.

Early Life

Jack Parsons was born in Los Angeles, California. He became fascinated with rocketry at a young age, a passion that was not dampened by the skepticism of his peers or the lack of formal education in the field. Parsons attended Stanford University but dropped out due to financial difficulties. He continued his experiments with rockets as an autodidact, relying on self-study and experimentation.

Career in Rocketry

In the 1930s, Parsons, along with Frank Malina and Edward S. Forman, founded the GALCIT Rocket Research Group, which later evolved into the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Their work was initially focused on developing rocket propulsion systems for aircraft, but it quickly expanded into the development of rockets capable of reaching high altitudes and eventually space. Parsons' contributions were crucial in the development of the first solid fuel rockets in the United States.

Occult Interests

Parsons was deeply interested in the occult, and in the mid-1940s, he became a leading figure in the Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.), an organization associated with Thelema. His Pasadena mansion became a focal point for the group and attracted various figures from the literary and entertainment worlds. Parsons' occult practices were controversial and led to tensions within the scientific community and among his peers.

Later Life and Death

In the late 1940s, Parsons' career in rocketry began to decline, partly due to his controversial personal life and occult practices. He died in an explosion in his home laboratory in 1952 under mysterious circumstances. The cause of the explosion has been the subject of speculation, with theories ranging from accidental ignition of volatile substances to suicide or murder.

Legacy

Despite his controversial life, Parsons is remembered as a visionary in the field of rocketry. His work laid the groundwork for future space exploration and he is commemorated by the Jack Parsons Laboratory at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Parsons' life has been the subject of various books and documentaries, highlighting his contributions to rocketry and his complex personal life.