Williams, Oswald S. 'Ozzie'
1921-2005 · Contribution: 1940s-1970
Designed aircraft and spacecraft propulsion/control systems: an early experimental airborne radar/radio beacon for locating crashed aircraft, and the reaction-control rocket-engine systems (small steering thrusters) for NASA's Apollo lunar module
Portraits are AI-generated interpretations, not photographs.
Impact on the world
Headed the team behind the Apollo lunar module's control rockets, whose 16 steering thrusters helped maneuver Apollo 13 to a safe re-entry; among the first African Americans in aeronautical engineering.
Life & background
African-American aerospace engineer born Sept 2, 1921 in Washington, DC; the second African American to earn an aeronautical engineering degree and the first hired as a design engineer at Republic Aviation. Later worked at Grumman International. Died 2005.
Sources
- Encyclopedia.com; 'African Americans: Voices of Triumph'; BlackPast.org
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