G. Harry Stine (Person)
Born on March 26, 1928, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, George Harry Stine is one of the founding fathers of model rocketry.
After graduating from the University of Colorado, Stine worked at White Sands Proving Ground. In 1955, he became the head of the Range Operations Division at the U.S. Naval Ordnance Missile Test Facility.
The Russians launched Sputnik, the first artificial satellite, on October 4, 1957. Asked by The Free Press (Colorado Springs, Colorado) to comment on the event, Stine stated that only a rocket the size of an intercontinental ballistic missile would be capable of launching the satellite into orbit. He stated that the Russians could use the technology to attack the US. "If we don't catch up," he added, "we're dead."
Reported by the United Press office in Denver, Colorado, Stine's comments received world-wide attention ... and got him fired from his job at the Martin missile plant.
Earlier in 1957, Stine wrote an article for Mechanics Illustrated addressing rocket safety. A shoe salesman, and fireworks hobbiest, in Norfolk, Nebraska, read the article and wrote to Stine. Orville Carlisle described the small model rockets he had designed, built, and flown using replaceable solid fuel motors.
Stine received samples of the rockets and motors and began demonstrating and testing them with other rocket scientists during their lunch breaks. Stine helped Carlisle improve his designs and, after being fired from Marin, formed Model Missiles, Inc. to manufacture and sell Carlise's rockets and motors.
Most states at the time had laws which would have classified model rockets as fireworks, making it impossible for them to be sold and flown in many areas. To encourage states to adopt laws friendly to rocketry, and to promote rocketry and model rocket safety in general, Stine helped form the Model Missile Association.
The Model Missile Association was incorporated on November 5, 1957 with Orville H. Carlisle, G. Harry Stine, and Barbara K. Stine as the "founding trustees." Later, on October 25, 1958, the Model Missile Association was officially renamed to the National Association of Rocketry.
Realizing that his company, Model Missiles, Inc., was not equipped to handle the ever-increasing demand for model rockets and motors, Stine looked up fireworks companies in the Denver, Colorado, phone book. He called the listing for Mile High Fireworks, a company owned by Earl Estes. Earl's son, Vern Estes accepted the challenge of designing and building a machine (eventually dubbed "Mabel") to automate the process of manufacturing model rocket motors.
After Model Missiles, Inc. failed, Vern Estes continued producing model rocket motors and began selling kits under his own company's name.
Stine, however, never lost his love for model rocketry and continued to support it. In 1965, the first edition of his Handbook of Model Rocketry was published.
Stine returned to working in the aerospace industry and writing. He penned several science fiction novels under the pen name "Lee Correy" and published non-fiction using his real name. He helped organize the American Astronautical Society's 1977 conference on private space colonization and was a founding member of the Citizens' Advisory Council on National Space Policy.
Stine died in Phoenix, Arizona, on November 2, 1997.
In Season 1, Episode 25 ("Conspiracy") of the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation, the USS White Sands commanded by "G. Harry Stein" is referred to in text on a computer screen. The designation of the ship, NAR 0002, is based on Stine's National Association of Rocketry membership number. NAR designations where used in the show for some ships which were under control of the Federation but not a part of Star Fleet.
Sponsored Ads
 |
 |