Leading space pioneer Sir William Pickering dead at 93

4.00pm

One of the world's leading space scientists, Wellington born Sir William Pickering died today aged 93.

In 1993 when Sir William was awarded the inaugural Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Aerospace Prize for his contribution to space science, the president of Caltech University Thomas Everhart said: "More than any other individual, Bill Pickering was responsible for America's success in exploring the planets an endeavour that demanded vision, courage, dedication, expertise and the ability to inspire two generations of scientists and engineers".

Sir William died at his home in Flintridge, California.

Prime Minister Helen Clark said Sir William was an inspiring figure for many in the scientific community, both in New Zealand and overseas.

"William Pickering was one of New Zealand's most distinguished sons. His passing is a tremendous loss," Ms Clark said in a statement.

Nasa also paid tribute to the former head of their Jet Propulsion Laboratory, who the US space agency said was known as "Mr JPL."

"Dr Pickering brought a vision and passion to space exploration that was remarkable," Dr Ed Weiler, Nasa's Associate Administrator for Space Science, said in an obituary on the Nasa website.

"His pioneering work is the very foundation we have built upon to explore our solar system and beyond."

Current JPL director Dr Charles Elachi said Dr Pickering was one of the titans of the US space programme.

"It was his leadership that took America into space and opened up the moon and planets to the world."

Born in 1910 in the Wellington suburb of Mt Victoria, the young Sir William was sent to live with his grandparents in Havelock at the age of six after his mother died.

In Havelock Sir William attended the same primary school as atomic science pioneer Ernest Rutherford.

In 1923 Sir William became a student at Wellington College where he was inspired by his maths teacher, AC 'Pop' Gifford, founder of the school's observatory where the young Sir William first looked at the stars through a telescope.

After secondary school Sir William studied engineering at Canterbury University for a year before moving to California to study at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

Unable to find work back in New Zealand after completing his bachelor degree in electrical engineering in 1932, he returned to Caltech where he completed a masters degree in 1933 and a PhD in Physics in 1936.

After joining the Caltech faculty to teach electrical engineering, he was made professor in charge of radio and electronics and was also appointed to the Scientific Advisory Board of the United States Air Force.

During World War Two Sir William worked with the US Air Force's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

In the post-war years Sir William's involvement with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory grew until 1950 when he left Caltech to work full time at the lab. By 1954 he was the lab's director.

Sir William's strengths were not only his scientific ability but his diplomacy which enabled him to lead scientists and to liaise with politicians and military officials.

When in 1958 the US congress passed the Space Act that established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa), Sir William and the JPL were given a charter to develop deep space missions.

"As a personal aside, I was delighted to hold a contract that said in essence 'go out and explore the depths of the solar system" he said in 1993.

Despite the aggressive approach taken by the US Government American progress in space was slower than the Soviets until 1962 when the JPL-designed Mariner II travelled to Venus.

The achievement led to Sir William appearing on the March 8, 1963 cover of Time Magazine the first of two appearances.

The following year, in 1964 Mariner IV was launched towards Mars. On July 23, 1965 Sir William was, once again, on the cover of Time.

Sir William rated as one of his major achievements the Ranger VII spacecraft that returned the first pictures of the lunar surface in 1966. Before this many scientists believed the Moon was covered in a thick layer of dust. Ranger's observations disproved this, and led the way for astronaut Neil Armstrong's first steps on the Moon's surface.

Sir William retired from JPL in 1976 at the age of 66. He returned briefly to Caltech, before taking up a two-year teaching post in Saudi Arabia. At the age of 68 he returned to the United States with the intention of working on a commercial venture into solar energy.

Instead he became director of a company that manufactures processed woodchips.

A US citizen since 1941, Sir William kept close ties with New Zealand.

He kept a painting of Mt Cook in his office, retained the faint twinges of a Kiwi accent in his voice, and was awarded an honorary knighthood from the Queen.

The knighthood sat beside American accolades in his office including personal messages from five US presidents.

In 1975 Sir William was awarded the prestigous National Medal of Science by President Gerald Ford, and in 1994 he was awarded the Japan Prize by His Majesty, the Emperor of Japan.

Sir William is survived by his wife, Inez. They married in 1994, following the death of his first wife, Muriel.

Sir William had a son and daughter from his first marriage.

- NZPA

Nasa Remembers William H. Pickering, Former Director of JPL