Wernher von Braun

23 March 1912 – 16 June 1977

Wernher von Braun (1912-1977) was a German-American aerospace engineer and space architect who was the leading figure in rocket technology in Nazi Germany and later the United States. He developed the V-2 rocket for Germany during World War II, using forced concentration-camp labor, and after the war led the development of the Saturn V rocket that took Apollo astronauts to the Moon. He served as the first director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.

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Life events

Born in Wirsitz, German Empire
23 March 1912

Wernher Magnus Maximilian Freiherr von Braun was born into an aristocratic family in Wirsitz, in the Prussian province of Posen (now Wyrzysk, Poland).

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Earned doctorate in physics from the University of Berlin
27 July 1934

Von Braun completed his Ph.D. with a dissertation on liquid-propellant rocket engines while already working for the German army.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Became technical director at Peenemünde
1937

Von Braun led the German rocket development program at the Peenemünde Army Research Center.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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First successful launch of the V-2 rocket
3 October 1942

The A-4, later known as the V-2, became the first man-made object to reach the edge of space; it was later produced with concentration-camp forced labor and used against Allied cities.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Surrendered to American forces and emigrated under Operation Paperclip
2 May 1945

At the end of World War II von Braun and much of his team surrendered to the U.S. Army and were brought to the United States.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Married Maria von Quistorp
1 March 1947

Von Braun married his cousin Maria Luise von Quistorp; the couple had three children.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Launched Explorer 1, first U.S. satellite
31 January 1958

Von Braun's team developed the Jupiter-C rocket that placed the first American satellite into orbit.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Became first director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center
1 July 1960 – 1970

Von Braun led Marshall in Huntsville, Alabama, overseeing development of the Saturn family of launch vehicles.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Saturn V launched Apollo 11 to the Moon
16 July 1969

The Saturn V rocket developed under von Braun's direction carried the first humans to the lunar surface.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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Died in Alexandria, Virginia
16 June 1977

Von Braun died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 65.

Source: en.wikipedia.org
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