Charles Stark Draper
Charles Stark Draper[1] | |
---|---|
Born | |
Died | July 25, 1987 Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. | (aged 85)
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (B.S., 1926; M.S., Physics, 1936; Sc.D., Physics, 1938) Stanford University (B.A., Psychology, 1922) |
Awards | Magellanic Premium (1959) National Medal of Science (1964) Daniel Guggenheim Medal (1966) Rufus Oldenburger Medal (1971) Allan D. Emil Memorial Award (1977) Richard E. Bellman Control Heritage Award (1981) |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Control theory |
Institutions | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Thesis | The physical processes accompanying detonation in the internal combustion engine (1938) |
Doctoral advisor | Philip M. Morse |
Doctoral students | Yao-Tzu Li, Robert Seamans |
Charles Stark "Doc" Draper (October 2, 1901 – July 25, 1987) was an American
Early life and education
Draper was born in Windsor, Missouri. He attended the University of Missouri in 1917, then transferred to Stanford University, California in 1919, from which he earned a B.A. in psychology in 1922. He matriculated at MIT in 1922, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in electrochemical engineering (1926), and Master of Science (1928), and a Doctor of Science (1938) degrees in physics.[3] Charles Stark Draper's relatives were prominent in his home state of Missouri, including his cousin, Governor Lloyd C. Stark.
Career
Draper began teaching at MIT as an assistant professor. He was appointed a full professor in
Draper's interest in flight instrumentation was influenced by becoming a pilot in the 1930s: although he failed to become an Air Corps pilot, he learned to fly by enrolling in a civilian course.[5] Draper was one of the pioneers of inertial navigation, a technology used in aircraft, space vehicles, and submarines that enables such vehicles to navigate by sensing changes in direction and speed using gyroscopes and accelerometers. A pioneering figure in aerospace engineering, he contributed to the Apollo space program with his knowledge of guidance systems.
In 1961 Draper and the Instrumentation Lab were awarded the first contract given out for the Apollo program to send humans to the Moon, which was announced by President John F. Kennedy on 25 May of that year. This led to the creation of the Apollo Guidance Computer, a one-cubic-foot computer that controlled the navigation and guidance of the lunar module to the Moon on nine launches, six of which landed on the Moon's surface.[6]
Draper taught and conducted research at MIT until January 1970, devoting most of his energy during his final decade to completing the Apollo computers and software.[7]
Draper was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 1981 for his multiple inventions and scientific contributions.
Professional associations
Draper was a member of the U.S. National Academy of Engineering of the
Awards
Draper received more than 70 honors and awards, including the Howard N. Potts Medal in 1960, the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement in 1961,[8] the National Medal of Science from President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964,[9] the ASME's Rufus Oldenburger Medal in 1971,[10] the Robert H. Goddard Trophy in 1978,[11] the AACC's Richard E. Bellman Control Heritage Award[12] and the Smithsonian's Langley Gold Medal in 1981, and the National Academy of Engineering's Founders Award.[2] His renown was international, and was recognized by many foreign countries, including France, United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, and the Soviet Union.[13]
Draper was inducted as a member of the inaugural class to the
Draper was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1981.[15]
Legacy
He died in the
Charles Stark Draper Prize
The National Academy of Engineering established the Charles Stark Draper Prize in 1988 on behalf of the namesake's laboratory at MIT. The prize, which is awarded annually and consists of $500,000 in cash, a gold medallion, and a hand-inscribed certificate, aims to "increase public understanding of the contributions of engineering and technology to the welfare and freedom of humanity".[13] Endowment for the prize was provided by the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory.[17]
See also
- List of members of the National Academy of Engineering (Aerospace)
- Charles Stark Draper Laboratory
- Charles Stark Draper Prize
- Inertial navigation system (INS)
- List of Draper Prize Winners
References
- ^ Dr. Charles S. Draper was elected in 1965 for his contributions to aeronautical and astronautical engineering instrumentation.
- ^ a b c "International Space Hall of Fame ‑ Charles S. Draper". New Mexico Museum of Space History. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
- ^ Alumni MIT
- ^ Morgan, Christopher; O'Connor, Joseph; Hoag, David, "Draper at 25" Archived May 1, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, publication of Draper Labs, 1998
- ISBN 0-309-04349-2.
- ^ Apollo 8 and Apollo 10 orbited the Moon, but did not land; Apollo 13 was unable to land on the Moon due to a near-disastrous oxygen tank explosion en route to the Moon.
- Beirne Lay, Jr., Earthbound Astronauts - the Builders of Apollo-Saturn (Prentice Hall, New York, NY). 1971 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 78-145628, p. 92
- American Academy of Achievement.
- ^ National Science Foundation - The President's National Medal of Science
- ^ "Rufus Oldenburger Medal". American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Retrieved 2013-02-21.
- ^ "Past Goddard Trophy Winners". National Space Club. Archived from the original on 2012-03-04. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
- ^ "Richard E. Bellman Control Heritage Award". American Automatic Control Council. Archived from the original on 2018-10-01. Retrieved 2013-02-10.
- ^ a b "History of Charles Stark "Doc" Draper and the Draper Prize". National Academy of Engineering. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
- ^ Locke, Robert (October 6, 1976). "Space Pioneers Enshrined". Las Vegas Optic. Las Vegas, New Mexico. Associated Press. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Enshrinee Charles Draper". nationalaviation.org. National Aviation Hall of Fame. Retrieved 1 February 2023.
- ^ Wilford, John Noble (27 July 1987). "Charles S. Draper, Engineer; Guided Astronauts to the Moon". The New York Times.
- ^ "About the Draper Prize". Draper Laboratory. Archived from the original on 2009-06-06. Retrieved 2013-01-27.
Further reading
- ISBN 978-0-262-63147-1.
- Wildenberg, Thomas (2019). Hot Spot of Invention: Charles Stark Draper, MIT, and the Development of Inertial Guidance and Navigation. ISBN 978-1-682-47469-3.