Jack James (rocket engineer): Difference between revisions

'''Jack N.Norval James''' (November 22, 1920– – August 7, 2001) was a US [[rocket engineering|rocket engineer]] who worked for over 35 years at the [[Jet Propulsion Laboratory]], Pasadena, California, USA. His work as a Project Manager for NASA's [[Mariner program]] in the 1960s included the first planetary flyby (of Venus) and first photographs by a space probe of Mars. He received commendations for his work from several US Presidents, and his awards include the [[NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal]] (1965) and the [[Stuart Ballantine Medal]] (1967).

Jack Norval James was born on 22 November 22, 1920, in [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]], Texas, growing up in [[Oak Cliff]], Dallas, where he graduated from [[Sunset High School (Texas)|Sunset High School in 1937]].<ref name="JPL Library and Archives">{{cite web|title=Jack N. James Collection, 1945-1986|publisher=ArchiveGrid: Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives|url=http://beta.worldcat.org/archivegrid/record.php?id=733100098|accessdateaccess-date=28 December 2012}}</ref><ref name="NYTobit">{{cite news|title=Jack N. James, 80, Manager Of Mars and Venus Missions|work=[[New York Times]]|date=16 August 2001|url=httphttps://www.nytimes.com/2001/08/16/us/jack-n-james-80-manager-of-mars-and-venus-missions.html}}</ref><ref name="JPL oral history">{{citecitation|title=Interview with Jack N. James|publisher=Jet Propulsion Laboratory Archives Oral History Program|year=1993 to 19951993–1995}}, [httphttps://www.worldcat.org/title/interview-with-jack-n-james/oclc/733106792 WorldCat summary] (retrieved 27 December 2012).</ref> He studied at the [[Southern Methodist University]], graduating in [[electrical engineering]] in 1942. Following apprentice work at the [[General Electric Company]],<ref name="JPL oral history"/> and service as a naval radar maintenance officer in World War II, he studied for a mastersmaster's in electrical engineering (1949) at [[Union College]], Schenectady, New York.<ref name="NYTobit"/> During this postwar period he also worked at the [[Malta Test Station]], and made trips to the testing grounds at the [[White Sands Missile Range]], New Mexico.<ref name="JPL oral history"/> He briefly worked for [[RCA]], before transferring in 1950 to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, where he worked for the next 36 years.<ref name="JPL oral history"/><ref name="LATimesObit">{{cite news|title=Jack James; Rocket Scientist for JPL|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=15 August 2001|url=httphttps://articleswww.latimes.com/2001archives/la-xpm-2001-aug/-15/local/-me-34427-story.html}}</ref>

During his early years at the JPL, James worked on the [[MGM-5 Corporal]] and [[MGM-29 Sergeant]] guided missiles. As the work at the JPL changed from military rockets to spacecraft, he worked on the [[Pioneer 4]] lunar probe and other missions.<ref name="NYTobit"/> In 1961, he was named Project Manager of the Mariner Venus Project that led to the success of [[Mariner 2]] which carried out the first ever [[planetary flyby]], passing [[Venus]] on 14 December 14, 1962.<ref name="JPL Library and Archives"/><ref name="NYTobit"/> James was also Project Manager for the Mariner Mars Project that led to [[Mariner 4]]'s successful flyby of [[Mars]] on 14 July 14, 1965.<ref name="JPL Library and Archives"/><ref name="NYTobit"/> These were the first successful planetary encounters, and the first missions to return data from Venus and Mars.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mariner 2|work=National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC)|publisher=[[NASA]]|url=httphttps://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplayspacecraft/display.doaction?id=1962-041A|accessdateaccess-date=28 December 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Mariner 4|work=National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC)|publisher=NASA|url=httphttps://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraftDisplayspacecraft/display.doaction?id=1964-077A|accessdateaccess-date=28 December 2012}}</ref>

For his work on the Mariner program, James was presented with a public service award from NASA, and received awards from Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.<ref name="LATimesObit"/> His awards include the [[NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal]] (1965).<ref name="JPL Library and Archives"/> The citation for this award stated that it was: <blockquote>For outstanding accomplishment in the design, development and flight operation of Mariner II and Mariner IV.<ref>{{cite book|author=NASA et al.|display-authors=etal|title=Fourteenth Semiannual Report to Congress, July 1 to December 31, 1965|yeardate=1965|url=httphttps://books.google.co.ukcom/books?id=7e63AAAAIAAJ|page=185}}</ref></blockquote>

James and his JPL colleague [[Robert J. Parks]] were presented with the [[Stuart Ballantine Medal]] (Engineering) from the [[Franklin Institute]] in 1967 for their: "Application of electromagnetic communication to the first successful reconnaissance of Mars by the Mariner IV".<ref>{{cite web|title=Franklin Laureate Database: Jack N. James|publisher=[[Franklin Institute]]|url=http://www.fi.edu/winners/detail.faw?winner_id=3174|accessdateaccess-date=27 December 2012}}</ref> He was elected a fellow of the [[Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers]],<ref name="LATimesObit"/> and was a member of the [[American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics]].<ref name="JPL Library and Archives"/> In 1974, James was honoured with the Distinguished Alumni Award from his alma mater, the Southern Methodist University.<ref>{{cite web|title=Distinguished Alumni Awards Past Recipients|publisher=[[Southern Methodist University]]|url=http://smu.edu/alumni/reunion/events/daa/pastrecipients.asp|accessdateaccess-date=5 January 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120814034444/http://smu.edu/alumni/reunion/events/daa/pastrecipients.asp|archive-date=14 August 2012}}</ref> By the time of his retirement on 1 January 1, 1987, James had held several positions as an assistant laboratory director (ALD) at the JPL, including leading its technical divisions from 1967 to 1972.<ref name="JPL Library and Archives"/>

James died aged 80 on 7 August 7, 2001, in Pasadena. He had been living in [[La Cañada Flintridge, California|La Cañada]], and was survived by his wife, four children and two grandchildren.<ref name="NYTobit"/> His autobiographical account of his life and the history of the space programs he worked on, ''In High Regard'', was privately published posthumously in 2006.<ref>{{cite webbook|title=Formats and editions of 'In High Regard'|publisher=[[WorldCat]]|oclc=733102901 |url=httphttps://www.worldcat.org/title/in-high-regard/oclc/733102901/editions?referer=di&editionsView=true|accessdateaccess-date=27 December 2012}}</ref> In 2011, James was included in the Southern Methodist University's list of History Makers as part of their centennial celebrations.<ref>{{cite web|title=2011 History Makers|publisher=Southern Methodist University|url=http://smu.edu/alumni/reunion/events/daa/historymakers-2011.asp|accessdateaccess-date=5 January 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120901120248/http://smu.edu/alumni/reunion/events/daa/historymakers-2011.asp|archive-date=1 September 2012}}</ref>

*[http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mariner2/ 50th Anniversary: Mariner 2, The Venus Mission] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170517103038/https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/mariner2/ |date=2017-05-17 }}, extensive account of the mission including quotes from James (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)

[[Category:Fellow MembersFellows of the IEEE]]

[[Category:NASA personnelpeople]]