Wernher von Braun

Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1978-Anh.023-02, Peenemünde, Emil Leeb, Fritz Todt, Wernher von Braun

Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1978-Anh.024-03, Peenemünde, Dornberger, Olbricht, Brandt, v. Braun

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V-2 rocket diagram (with English labels)

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Major General Walther Dornberger, Commander of the V-2 laboratory at Peenemnde, Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Axter... - NARA - 531328

NACA's Special Committee on Space Technology

Wernher Magnus Maximilian Freiherr von Braun (March 23, 1912 – June 16, 1977) was a German and later American aerospace engineer and space architect. He was one of the leading figures in the development of rocket technology in Germany and the United States and is considered one of the "Fathers of Rocket Science". His work led to the development of the V-2 rocket during World War II, the first missile of its kind. After the war, he and select members of his rocket team were transferred to the United States as part of Operation Paperclip, a secret program of the Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency (JIOA). In the U.S., he became a key figure in the development of the Saturn V rocket, which enabled the Apollo manned lunar landings.

Early Life and Education

Wernher von Braun was born in Wirsitz, then in the German Empire (now Wyrzysk, Poland). He became fascinated with the concept of spaceflight from an early age, influenced by the works of Hermann Oberth, one of the founding figures of rocketry and astronautics. Von Braun attended the Technical University of Berlin, where he joined the Verein für Raumschiffahrt (VfR - "Spaceflight Society") and began experimenting with liquid-fueled rockets.

Career in Germany

In 1932, von Braun's work caught the attention of the German Army, and he was appointed to lead the army's rocket development program. This led to the creation of the Peenemünde Army Research Center in 1937, where von Braun and his team developed the V-2 rocket. Despite the military application of his work, von Braun maintained that his interest in rocketry was for space exploration.

Move to the United States and NASA

After World War II, von Braun and several members of his team surrendered to American forces. Under Operation Paperclip, they were relocated to the United States, where von Braun worked on military and then space exploration rockets. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1955. Von Braun's team was integral to the launch of the first American satellite, Explorer 1, and he served as the director of the Marshall Space Flight Center, where he led the development of the Saturn V rocket.

Legacy

Wernher von Braun's legacy is complex. He was a pioneer of rocket and space technology, contributing significantly to the United States' space exploration efforts. However, his involvement with the Nazi regime and the use of forced labor at the V-2 manufacturing facilities cast a shadow over his achievements. Despite this, von Braun is remembered for his vision of human space exploration and colonization.

Death

Von Braun died on June 16, 1977, in Alexandria, Virginia, from pancreatic cancer. His contributions to rocketry and space exploration have left a lasting impact on the field, and he is memorialized in various institutions and awards dedicated to the advancement of space science.