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Wernher von Braun
said
For me, the idea of a creation is not conceivable without invoking the necessity of design.
— From a letter to the California State board of Education (14 September 1972)
Wernher von Braun
German and later American aerospace engineer and space architect (1912–1977)
- Fame68.2
- Momentum0.0
- Scientists rank#118
Source-basedFalling
- Fame68.2
- Momentum0.0
- Scientists rank#118
- Wikipedia135.3K
Lived 1912–1977, aged 65
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In their orbit
People connected to Wernher von Braun
Summary
Updated 2026-09-07
The engineer who put Americans on the Moon built his reputation on Nazi rockets that killed thousands. His trajectory from V-2 architect to NASA director is a Cold War calculus: how much past do you trade for a future in space?
Biography
About
Wernher von Braun joined the Nazi Party and SS to advance his rocket work, and at Peenemünde during World War II he helped design the V-2, which became the first object to cross into space on 20 June 1944. After the war, Operation Paperclip brought him and 1,600 other German engineers secretly to the United States. He developed the rockets that launched Explorer 1 in 1958, collaborated with Walt Disney on films that sold the public on space travel, and in 1960 joined NASA as director of Marshall Space Flight Center. There he became chief architect of the Saturn V, the launch vehicle that carri…
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Sourced, dated quotes from Wernher von Braun
Wernher von Braun
said
My experiences with science led me to God. They challenge science to prove the existence of God. But must we really light a candle to see the sun?
— From a letter to the California State board of Education (14 September 1972)
Wernher von Braun
said
It is in scientific honesty that I endorse the presentation of alternative theories for the origin of the universe, life and man in the science classroom.
— From a letter to the California State board of Education (14 September 1972)
Wernher von Braun
said
I'm convinced that before the year 2000 is over, the first child will have been born on the moon.
— Taped TV interview, broadcast on WMAL, Washington, (7 January 1972), as reported in "Birth of Child on Moon Foreseen by von Braun", New
Wernher von Braun
said
There is just one thing I can promise you about the outer-space program: Your tax dollar will go farther.
— Attributed in Reader's Digest (1961), and The Yale Book of Quotations (2006) edited by Fred R. Shapiro, p. 101
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Fame
Falling68.2
Composite of search demand, mentions, audience & graph footprint.
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Historical28.9
Now attention6.7
Source confidence65.0
Completeness65.0
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- WikidataHigh confidencewikidata · wikidata.org
- WikipediaHigh confidencewikipedia · en.wikipedia.org
- Pantheon 2.0High confidencedatabase · pantheon.world
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