Wed, Sep 22, 2010
Key Figure In Modern Rocket History Was Prominent Advocate Of
Manned Spaceflight
ANN has learned through the American Institute of Aeronautics
and Astronautics (AIAA) of the death of Capt. Robert C. Truax, past
president of the American Rocket Society, organizer of the U.S.
Naval Missile Test Center’s propulsion research laboratory at
Point Mugu, CA, and AIAA Honorary Fellow. Capt. Truax passed away
in Vista, CA, on September 17, 2010. He was 93.
Offical U.S. Navy Portrait
“We mourn the passing of Capt. Robert C. Truax, whose
contributions to the field of propulsion made many of today’s
systems possible," said AIAA President Mark J. Lewis. "From his
early work on Jet Assisted Take Off (JATO) systems and development
of hypergolic fuels, leadership efforts on the Thor, Viking, and
Polaris missiles, and later founding of his own company, Truax was
an integral part of modern rocket history.
"He also had a more whimsical side, including work with
motorcycle daredevil Evel Knievel to develop a steam powered
‘Skycycle’ for an attempted jump of the Snake River
Canyon. Robert Truax was a past president of the American Rocket
Society (one of the precursor organizations from which AIAA was
founded), and an honorary Fellow of AIAA. While we are all saddened
by his loss, we salute his many contributions to our nation's
development of rocket systems for commerce, defense, and
entertainment purposes."
In addition to his accomplishments in the field of rocket
propulsion and weapon systems, Truax was a tireless and prominent
advocate for manned spaceflight, urging the United States
government to purse a manned spaceflight program. For his technical
accomplishments and his advocacy, Truax was presented the 1951
Robert H. Goddard Memorial Award by the American Rocket Society. In
1957 Truax became president of the American Rocket Society, which
he had previously chided for not taking the concept of manned space
exploration seriously enough. Truax was actively involved in rocket
development through the final years of his life, working as
recently as 2008 on the development of the “SkyLimo”
steam powered rocket for showman Michael “Mad Mike”
Hughes.
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