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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Mr. James C. Van Housen

Alexander Satin was born in Moscow on 29 June 1910. His family left Russia in 1919 and settled in Dresden, Germany. After studying at the University of Dresden, he received a Dipl. Ing. Degree and in 1937 went to the United States where he continued his studies at the Graduate Schools of the University of California, Berkeley, and New York University, Guggenheim School of Aeronautics. During World War II he worked on the first US rocket-propelled interceptor, the P-79, and later proposed "Project Navajo" based on Peenemiinde data.
His extremely productive seven years as Chief Engineer and Staff Consultant of the Air Branch of the Office of Naval Research, Washington, DC, resulted in the initiation of many projects of advanced concept besides "Orbiter." The stated mission of the Air Branch ONR was to "maintain the country's scientific and engineering field of aeronautics, not equal to, but in advance of any other country." Its job was to "search out and encourage basic thinking" and to "sell" the ideas to other bureaus and departments which would "proceed with the development until a useful device, principle, or technique was produced."

While in this service, Mr. Satin pioneered many projects, including a family of winged VTOL and STOL aircraft, the "Flying Platform" and the "Aerodyne."
He also initiated numerous programmes, both study and development, in the field of rocketry, the best known of which are: the first completely throttleable rocket engine (developed by Reaction Motors, Inc.):
the "rocket-on-rotor" concept for helicopters; ducted rockets, and manned rocket aircraft, such as the Douglas D-588-3.
For his work and leadership while with the Air Branch of ONR, he received the Meritorious Civilian Service Award.
Mr. Satin tells us his hobbies are reading in four languages and music in a variety of forms.. He is the nephew of the famous pianist and composer, Sergei Rachmaninoff.