Von Braun, Wernher, 1912-1977

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Wernher Von Braun was one of the world's first and foremost rocket engineers and a leading authority on space travel.

From the description of Wernher von Braun letter, 1960. (National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum). WorldCat record id: 61257728

Von Braun was Director of the Development Operations Division.

From the description of Interim Report of Agena Survey Team and Management Plan for NASA Agena Project : letter to General Don R. Ostrander, NASA Director of Vehicle Development Operations, 1960 Jan 18. (Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives). WorldCat record id: 733100656

From the description of Management Plan for NASA Agena Project, 1960 Jan 16. (Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives). WorldCat record id: 733100658

Director, Development Operations Division, Army Ballistic Missile Agency, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama.

From the description of Warum Raumfahrt? : Stuttgarter Luftfahrtgesprach in Stuttgart-Flughafen, 1959 Sept. 3. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 122332805

Wernher von Braun (1912-1977), the "father of space travel," developed the first practical space rockets and launch vehicles.

From the description of Von Braun, Wernher, 1912-1977 (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10580407

German-born aerospace engineer; emigrated to the United States in 1945; served as director and administrator of U.S. space programs and projects.

From the description of Wernher Von Braun papers, 1796-1970 (bulk 1950-1970). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 70979926

Biographical Note

  • 1912, Mar. 23: Wirsitz, East Prussia Poland) Republic of Poland Born, Wirsitz, East Prussia (now part of Poland)
  • 1930: Berlin, Germany Berlin Land Berlin Berlin Founding member, Rocket Field,Berlin, Germany, sponsored and financed by German Rocket Society Assistant to Hermann Oberth, experimenting with small liquid rocket motors
  • 1931: Student, Institute of Technology,Zurich, Switzerland
  • 1932: B.S., Institute of Technology,Berlin, Germany
  • 1932 - 1937 : Chief, Testing Station, German Army Proving Ground,Kummersdorf, Germany
  • 1934: Ph. D., University of Berlin,Berlin, Germany
  • 1937 - 1945 : Peenemünde, Germany Peenemünde Technical director, German Rocket Research Center,Peenemünde, Germany Responsible for V-2 Long-range Rocket and A.A. Guided Missile Wasserfall
  • 1943 - 1945 : Research professor, Peenemünde, Germany
  • 1945: Captured by U.S. Army and taken to United States
  • 1945 - 1950 : Fort Bliss, Tex. Fort Bliss Project director, Research and Development Service,U.S. Army Ordnance Corps,Fort Bliss, Tex. Technical adviser at White Sands Missile Range, N. Mex.
  • 1947: Married Maria Von Quistorp
  • 1950 - 1956 : Chief, Guided Missile Development Division, Redstone Arsenal,Huntsville, Ala.
  • 1953: Published The Mars Project (Urbana: University of Illinois Press. 91 pp.), translated by Henry J. White Published Man on the Moon (London: Sidgwick and Jackson. 134 pp.), with Fred L. Whipple and Willy Ley. Also published as Conquest of the Moon (New York: Viking Press. 126 pp.)
  • 1955: Naturalized as American citizen
  • 1956: Published The Exploration of Mars (New York: Viking Press. 176 pp.), with Willy Ley
  • 1956 - 1960 : Director, Development Operations Division, Army Ballistic Missile Agency,Huntsville, Ala.
  • 1957: Received Distinguished Civilian Service Award, Department of Defense
  • 1958: Received Dr. Robert Goddard Memorial Trophy
  • 1960: Published First Men to the Moon (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. 96 pp.)
  • 1960 - 1970 : Director, George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, National Aeronautic and Space Administration,Huntsville, Ala.
  • 1967: Published History of Rocketry & Space Travel (New York: Crowell. 244 pp.), with Frederick I. Ordway III Published Space Frontier (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. 216 pp.)
  • 1970 - 1972 : Deputy Associate Administrator for Planning, National Aeronautics and Space Administration,Washington, D.C.
  • 1972: Vice president, Engineering and Development, Fairchild Industries, Germantown, Md.
  • 1975: Founded National Space Institute
  • 1977, June 16: Died, Alexandria, Va.

From the guide to the Wernher Von Braun Papers, 1796-1970, (bulk 1950-1970), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Von Braun, Wernher, 1912-1977. Warum Raumfahrt? : Stuttgarter Luftfahrtgesprach in Stuttgart-Flughafen, 1959 Sept. 3. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection. 1964 - 1980. Jupiter missile National Archives at College Park
creatorOf AAS Goddard Memorial Symposium, 9th, Washington, D.C., 1971. International cooperation in space operations and exploration [sound recording] / proceedings recorded by the American Astronautical Society ; 1971 March 10-11. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn The Papers of Henry James White (1892-1962), Bulk, 1939-1953, 1936-1956 San Diego Air and Space Museum Library and Archives
creatorOf Wernher Von Braun Papers, 1796-1970, (bulk 1950-1970) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Zuse, Konrad,. Oral history interview with Konrad Zuse, 1975. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
referencedIn Records of District Courts of the United States. 1685 - 2009. Petitions For Naturalization. 1909 - 1963. Petition for Naturalization of Wernher von Braun National Archives at Atlanta
referencedIn Photographs Relating to Agency Activities, Facilities and Personnel, 1960 - 1991 National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Sharpe, Mitchell R., 1924-. Papers, 1954-1975. Auburn University.
referencedIn Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, La.). Centennial Committee. Louisiana State University Centennial Committee records, 1969-1970. Louisiana State University, LSU Libraries
referencedIn Alabama. Academy of Honor. Administrative files, 1965-1996. Alabama Department of Archives and History
referencedIn McDaniel, John L. (John Lester), 1918-. Dr. John L. McDaniel papers, 1985. U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center
referencedIn Witkin, Richard. Missiles and rockets : Newspaper articles, 1957 Apr-Sept. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
creatorOf von Braun, Wernher,. Management Plan for NASA Agena Project, 1960 Jan 16. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection. 1964 - 1980. Banquet celebrating first anniversary of America's first space satellite Explorer I, Willard Hotel, Washington, D.C. National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Newell, Homer Edward, 1915-. Oral history interview with Homer Edward Newell, 1980 July 17 and October 20. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Ward, Bob. "Mr. Space" : the humor and humanity of Wernher von Braun / by Bob Ward. Auburn University.
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection. 1964 - 1980. Highest defense award to six civilian employees, Pentagon, Washington, D.C. ; President Ngo Dinh Diem of Viet-Nam visits Pentagon, Washington, D.C. ; Indian Minister Mr. V. K. Krishma visits Sec of Defense Charles Wilson, Pentagon, Washington, D. C. National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Fritz, Alfred. Letter, 1956 March 25, to Wernher von Braun. Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Alabama. Governor. Public relations files, 1954-1970. Alabama Department of Archives and History
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection. 1964 - 1980. President Kennedy's tour of Redstone arsenal, Huntsville, Alabama National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 1903 - 2006. Motion Picture Films and Videos on Skylab, Saturn, the Space Shuttle and Other Space Programs National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Fox Movietone News Collection. 1957 - 1963. Motion Picture Newsreel Films. 1957 - 1963. Movietone News, Vol. 45, No. 79 National Archives at College Park
referencedIn George J. Huebner papers, 1954-1976 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Schomer, Howard, 1915-2001. Papers, 1928-2001. Andover-Harvard Theological Library
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection. 1964 - 1980. Dr. Werner Von Braun And General John B. Medaris on first films of model of army's guided missile quot;Redstonequot;, Release No. 16-56 National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 1903 - 2006. Speech Files National Archives at Atlanta
creatorOf Von Braun, Wernher, 1912-1977. Wernher von Braun letter, 1960. National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
referencedIn Whiting, Indiana: Generational Memory, 1991-1993 Indiana University, Bloomington. Center for the Study of History and Memory
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection. 1964 - 1980. The Dept. of the Army presents replica of the Jupiter C missile and satellite Explorer I to the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Butler University. Achievements of Man lecture series at Butler University : collection of papers, reports, and other materials. Butler University Libraries
referencedIn Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1903 - 2006. Marshall Star, 1960 - 2006 National Archives at Atlanta
creatorOf Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 1903 - 2006. Motion Picture Films and Video Recordings Relating to the U.S. Space Program National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Army Ballistic Missie Agency. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn Singer, S. Fred (Siegfried Fred), 1924-. Oral History interview with Fred Singer, 1991 April 23. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Friedman, Herbert, 1916-2000. Oral history interview with Herbert Friedman, 1980 August 21. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn O'Donnell, Franklin. Explorer I : booklet, Dec 1007. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection. 1964 - 1980. JUNO I (Jupiter AM-11) check, Cape Canaveral, Florida, Test-2907 National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Busemann, Adolf, 1901-. Oral history interview with Adolf Busemann, 1979 Summer. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn James Parton papers, 1914-1986. Houghton Library
referencedIn Herring, Mack, 1935-. An oral history with Mr. Mack Herring / interviewer: Steven Patterson. University of Southern Mississippi, Regional Campus, Joseph Anderson Cook Library
creatorOf Von Braun, Wernher, 1912-1977. The second decade of space [sound recording] / [Wernher] Von Braun. Ball State University Library, Bracken Library
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection. 1964 - 1980. Saturn S-1 booster, Cape Canaveral, Fla ; Dr. Werner von Braun National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Pickering, William H., 1910-2004. William H. Pickering Speech Reference Collection, 1959-1974. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn Records of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. 1903 - 2006. Foreign Correspondence National Archives at Atlanta
referencedIn Records of the U.S. Information Agency. 1900 - 2003. Audio Recordings. 1942 - 1999. REPORT ON SPACE National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Pickering, William H., 1910-2004. Memo for Record re: Voyager Discussions between JPL and MSFC (Marshall Space Flight Center) Directors May 1965. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
creatorOf Swanson, Gloria. Papers. Series IV. Other Interests, 1923-1983. Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center
referencedIn Research files, ca.1900-1990. New York State Historical Documents Inventory
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection. 1964 - 1980. The Dept of the Army presents replica of the Jupiter-C missile and satellite Explorer I to the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection. 1964 - 1980. Juno II satellite shoot, Cape Canaveral, Florida National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection. 1964 - 1980. President Kennedy's tour of Redstone Arsenal, Hunstsville, Alabama National Archives at College Park
referencedIn David Kent Jacobs collection on Mormon films, 1955-1988 L. Tom Perry Special Collections
creatorOf Pickering, William H., 1910-2004. William H. Pickering Office File Collection, 1955-1976. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn Linnes, Karl 1923-1985. Interview with Karl Linnes / by Hallie Poore. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
creatorOf Goddard, Esther Christine Kisk. Autograph signature. Smithsonian Institution. Libraries
creatorOf von Braun, Wernher. Evaluation of the Current NASA Organization : paper presented to the Seventh NASA Management Conference, Oct 1962. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
creatorOf Pickering, William H., 1910-2004. William H. Pickering Speech Collection, 1955-1975. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn Guide to the Keller Mechanical Engineering Corporation Collection, 1916-1962, 1916-1962 Poly Archives & Special Collections at Bern Dibner Library of Science and Technology
referencedIn John Toland Papers, 1944-1965 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection. 1964 - 1980. Redstone (HE-49) missile, Cape Canaveral, Florida National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Don Sturkey Photographic Materials, 1951-2007, (bulk 1951-1989) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. North Carolina Collection.
referencedIn Apollo 11: Moon Landing National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Harris, Gordon L. The Gordon L. Harris, 1909-1974, bulk 1946-1963. U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center
referencedIn G. E. Mueller Papers, 1876-1997, (bulk 1935-1995) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Poullada, Leon. Oral history interview with Dr. Leon Poullada [sound recording]. Northern Arizona University, Cline Library
referencedIn Taylor, Theodore, 1921-2006. Rocket island : production material. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
referencedIn Page, Tony, 1910-1988. Tony Page papers, 1911-1981 1950-1980. University of Texas at Dallas. Eugene McDermott Library
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection. 1964 - 1980. Jupiter (AM-11) cehck and launch, (test-2907) Cape Canaveral, Florida National Archives at College Park
creatorOf von Braun Wernher. Letter from von Braun to Homer Newell Dir. Office of Space Sciences re: Centaur Programming Guidelines Jul 1962. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations. 1900 - 2003. Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities. 1947 - 1984. TESTS OF GERMAN AERONAUTICAL EQUIPMENT (CAPTURED GERMAN FILM) National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Baum, William Alvin, 1924-. Oral History interview with William A. Baum, 1983. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Harvard Law School Forums Records Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf von Braun, Wernher,. Interim Report of Agena Survey Team and Management Plan for NASA Agena Project : letter to General Don R. Ostrander, NASA Director of Vehicle Development Operations, 1960 Jan 18. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith AAS Goddard Memorial Symposium, 9th, Washington, D.C., 1971. corporateBody
associatedWith Alabama. Academy of Honor. corporateBody
associatedWith Alabama. Governor. corporateBody
associatedWith American Rocket Society. corporateBody
associatedWith Baum, William Alvin, 1924- person
correspondedWith Bechtle, Otto Wolfgang person
associatedWith Brown family. person
associatedWith Brown, Myrtle Louise. person
correspondedWith Brucker, Wilber Marion, 1894-1968 person
associatedWith Busemann, Adolf, 1901- person
associatedWith Butler University. corporateBody
associatedWith Collins, Michael, 1930- person
associatedWith Cradle of Aviation Museum (Garden City, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Disney, Walt, 1901-1966 person
correspondedWith Durant, Frederick C., 1916- person
associatedWith Friedman, Herbert, 1916-2000. person
associatedWith Fritz, Alfred. person
correspondedWith Gartmann, Heinz, 1917- person
associatedWith General Dynamics Corporation. corporateBody
associatedWith General Motors Corporation. corporateBody
associatedWith George C. Marshall Space Flight Center. corporateBody
correspondedWith Gerhards, Jupps person
associatedWith Gesellschaft für Weltraumsforschung. corporateBody
associatedWith Goddard, Esther Christine Kisk. person
correspondedWith Grosse, Aristid von, 1905- person
correspondedWith Harris, Gordon L. person
correspondedWith Harvard Law School Forum corporateBody
associatedWith Herring, Mack, 1935- person
associatedWith Huebner, George J., 1910- person
associatedWith Indiana University Center for the Study of History and Memory corporateBody
associatedWith International Business Machines Corporation. corporateBody
associatedWith Jacobs, David Kent, 1937- person
correspondedWith Kölle, Heinz Hermann, 1917- person
correspondedWith Ley, Willy, 1906-1969 person
associatedWith Linnes, Karl 1923-1985 person
associatedWith Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. corporateBody
correspondedWith Loeser, G. person
correspondedWith Loeser, G. person
associatedWith Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge, La.). Centennial Committee. corporateBody
associatedWith McDaniel, John L. (John Lester), 1918- person
correspondedWith Medaris, John B. (John Bruce), 1902- person
correspondedWith Mueller, G. E. (George Edwin), 1918- person
associatedWith Newell, Homer Edward, 1915- person
associatedWith O'Donnell, Franklin. person
associatedWith Page, Tony, 1910-1988. person
associatedWith Parton, James, 1912- person
associatedWith Pickering, William H., 1910-2004. person
associatedWith Poullada, Leon. person
associatedWith Project Apollo (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Project Gemini (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Project Mercury (U.S.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Ryan, Cornelius person
correspondedWith Ryan, Cornelius person
correspondedWith Schomer, Howard, 1915-2001 person
associatedWith Sharpe, Mitchell R., 1924- person
correspondedWith Sikorsky, Igor Ivan, 1889-1972 person
associatedWith Singer, S. Fred (Siegfried Fred), 1924- person
correspondedWith Sparkman, John, 1899-1985 person
associatedWith Sperry Rand Corporation. corporateBody
correspondedWith Stuhlinger, Ernst, 1913-2008 person
associatedWith Sturkey, Don. person
associatedWith Swanson, Gloria. person
associatedWith Taylor, Theodore, 1921-2006. person
associatedWith Toland, John. person
correspondedWith Truax, Robert Collins, 1917-2010 person
associatedWith United States. Army corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Department of Defense. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Dept. of Defense. corporateBody
employeeOf United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. corporateBody
associatedWith University Archives. corporateBody
associatedWith Ward, Bob. person
correspondedWith Watkins, Armitage, 1906- person
correspondedWith Whipple, Fred L. (Fred Lawrence), 1906-2004 person
associatedWith White, Henry J., 1892-1962 person
associatedWith Witkin, Richard. person
associatedWith Zuse, Konrad, person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Poznań 75 PL
Alexandria VA US
Subject
Aeronautics
Agena rocket vehicles
Genealogy
Guided missiles
Rocketry
Rocketry
Rocketry
Rockets (Aeronautics)
Science
Space flight
V-2 rocket
World War, 1939-1945
Occupation
Aerospace engineers
Public officials
Activity

Person

Birth 1912-03-23

Death 1977-06-16

Americans

English,

German

Information

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SNAC ID: 83341529