Hans Joachim Oskar Fichtner (September 8, 1917 – October 21, 2012)[1] was a rocket scientist who worked on V-2 rockets for Wernher von Braun at Peenemünde from 1939 to 1945. He was among the scientists to surrender and travel to the United States to provide rocketry expertise via Operation Paperclip which took them first to Fort Bliss, Texas (1945–1949). He continued his work with the team when they moved to Redstone Arsenal, and he joined Marshall Space Flight Center to work for NASA.[2]

Hans Fichtner
Born(1917-09-08)September 8, 1917
DiedOctober 21, 2012 (2012-10-22) (aged 95) 7:15 A.M
Huntsville hospital
NationalityGerman, American
Scientific career
FieldsAeronautics
InstitutionsPeenemünde
Fort Bliss
Redstone Arsenal
Marshall Space Flight Center
Kurt Lindner (no article)Wilhelm Jungert (no article)Kurt H. DebusEduard Fischel (no article)Hans Gruene (no article)William MrazekHelmut Schlitt (no article)Herbert Axster (no article)Theodor Vowe (no article)Rudolf Beichel (no article)Bruno Helm (no article)Oscar HoldererRudolf Minning (no article)Hans Friedrich (no article)Guenther Haukohl (no article)Friedrich Dhom (no article)Bernhard TessmannKarl HeimburgErnst GeisslerFriedrich Duerr (no article)Hans Milde (no article)Hannes Lührsen (no article)Kurt Patt (no article)Otto Eisenhardt (no article)Johann Tschinkel (no article)Gerhard Drawe (no article)Gerhard Heller (no article)Josef Maria Boehm (no article)Joachim Mühlner (no article)Arthur RudolphWilhelm Angele (no article)Erich Ball (no article)Bruno Heusinger (no article)Max Nowak (no article)Fritz MuellerAlfred Finzel (no article)Herbert Fuhrmann (no article)Ernst StuhlingerHerbert Guendel (no article)Hans FichtnerKarl Hager (no article)Werner KuersHans Maus (no article)Herbert Bergeler (no article)Walter Hans Schwidetzky (no article)Rudolf Hoelker (no article)Erich Kaschig (no article)Werner Rosinski (no article)Heinz Schnarowski (no article)Fritz Vandersee (no article)Arthur Urbanski (no article)Werner Tiller (no article)Hugo Woerdemann (no article)Martin Schilling (no article)Albert Schuler (no article)Hans Lindenmayer (no article)Helmut Zolke (no article)Hans Paul (no article)Heinrich Rothe (no article)Ludwig RothErnst SteinhoffGerhard ReisigErnst Klaus (no article)Hermann Weidner (no article)Hermann Lange (no article)Robert Paetz (no article)Helmut Merk (no article)Walter JacobiDieter GrauFriedrich Schwarz (no article)Wernher von BraunAlbin Wittmann (no article)Otto Hoberg (no article)Wilhelm Schulze (no article)Adolf ThielWalter Wiesemann (no article)Theodor Buchhold (no article)Eberhard ReesOtto Heinrich Hirschler (no article)Theodor Poppel (no article)Werner Voss (no article)Gustav Kroll (no article)Anton Beier (no article)Albert Zeiler (no article)Rudolf Schlidt (no article)Wolfgang Steurer (no article)Gerd De Beek (no article)Heinz Millinger (no article)Konrad DannenbergHans Palaoro (no article)Erich Neubert (no article)Werner Sieber (no article)Emil Hellebrandt (no article)Hans Henning Hosenthien (no article)Oscar Bauschinger (no article)Joseph Michel (no article)Klaus Scheufelen (no article)Walter Burose (no article)Karl Fleischer (no article)Werner Gengelbach (no article)Hermann Beduerftig (no article)Guenther Hintze (no article)
Operation Paperclip Team at Fort Bliss, Texas, August 1946. (pointing the mouse will show the name)

In a personal letter to a space aficionado, Fichtner wrote, "I worked at Peenemünde to design the control system of the A4. Later I laid out the electrical system for the V-2 ground and airborne. Arrived at the States with the 55 specialists Nov 17, 45, designed the electrical system for all White Sands V-2 launches in the first 112 years. Did all the electrical systems design for Redstone, Mercury-Redstone, Jupiter, Pershing missile. Was totally responsible for the entire ground and airborne electrical systems for the Apollo 100, 200 series, all Saturn V firings and Skylab after Apollo project. Was Chief engineer for the satellite series high energy astronomy observatory (HEAO). Worked as a consultant for the layout of the Spacelab. Electrical system with ESA in the Netherlands 1975/76. Introduced the automated, computerized checkout and firing sequence during the Saturn/Apollo program".[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Funeral services Saturday for Hans Fichtner, member of von Braun's rocket team". 26 October 2012.
  2. ^ "Fichtner". Astronautix. 2004. Archived from the original on October 19, 2010. Retrieved December 18, 2010.
  3. ^ Hans Fichtner. "German rocket pioneer Hans Fichtner" (web posting forum). collectSPACE. Retrieved 2010-12-18.