Have you met Lonnie G. Johnson?

Have you met Lonnie G. Johnson?

Have You Met Lonnie G. Johnson?


Have you ever played with a Super Soaker water gun? If you have, then you can thank NASA Aerospace Engineer for that invention.

Born in Mobile, Alabama in 1949, Johnson graduated from Tuskegee University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. After he completed his Master’s degree in Nuclear Engineering, he joined the Air Force.

In 1979, He began his career in NASA. He worked on several projects including the Galileo mission to Jupiter, the Cassini mission to Saturn, and the Mars Observer project. Though the inspiration for the Super Soaker came as an accident while working on another invention, it is one of his greatest successes.

He continues to work in the science field and currently resides in Atlanta.


Editor’s Note: Throughout the month of February, Pacer Times will help celebrate Black History Month by introducing important black activists, inventors, scientists, artists and other leaders from history. Look out for new articles like this every day this month.

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