John H. Disher
Encyclopedia
John Howard Disher was an American aeronautical engineer and NASA
manager.
For most of his life he worked for NASA during the Mercury
, Gemini
, Apollo, Skylab
(Deputy Director) and Space Shuttle
projects.
Disher was born in Olmstead, Towner County, North Dakota.
He was raised in Devils Lake, North Dakota and graduated from high school there in 1939. He earned a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of North Dakota
, Grand Forks, in 1943. While at UND, he was a Sigma Nu Fraternity member and was active in the University Concert and Marching Bands.
He attended the advanced management program at the Harvard Business School.
) at the Lewis Research Center in Cleveland. Some of his writings from that period are online here. From 1951 to 1958 he headed the flight research section at Lewis. He was just in time for the beginning of the U.S. space program. In 1959 and 1960, he worked at the Langley Space Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. and later at NASA
headquarters in Washington D.C.
As a space scientist, he helped organize the Mercury
and Gemini
manned space flight programs in the late 1950s and 1960s. He then headed the initial studies of the Apollo program, which resulted in the first manned lunar landing in 1969. Later he was deputy director of the Skylab
space station program. He also worked on the Space Shuttle
program, including development of a manned maneuvering unit. His last position before retirement was "Director of Advanced Projects".
After retiring from NASA in 1980, he opened a consulting business under the name of "Avanti Systems". His clients included the Italian government, Boeing Aerospace, and the U.S. Office of Technology Assessment. From 1986 until his death in 1988 he served on the University of North Dakota School of Engineering and Mines Advisory Council.
His Alma Mater - the University of North Dakota maintains a collection of John Disher papers deposited by his widow.
and twice he received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal
, the latter in 1980 for his work on Skylab
.
He also received the Sioux award from the University of North Dakota
in 1974. He was a member of the International Academy of Astronautics
and a fellow of the British Interplanetary Society
.
He was a member of The Explorers Club
of New York, the Corvair
Society Of America and the United States Automobile Club Old Timers. He was an authority on racing and antique cars, and through 1948-1987 he served on the Technical Committee at the Indianapolis 500
Automobile Race.
He also was a member of the Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church
in Bethesda, Maryland, where he and his family lived.
.
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
manager.
For most of his life he worked for NASA during the Mercury
Project Mercury
In January 1960 NASA awarded Western Electric Company a contract for the Mercury tracking network. The value of the contract was over $33 million. Also in January, McDonnell delivered the first production-type Mercury spacecraft, less than a year after award of the formal contract. On February 12,...
, Gemini
Project Gemini
Project Gemini was the second human spaceflight program of NASA, the civilian space agency of the United States government. Project Gemini was conducted between projects Mercury and Apollo, with ten manned flights occurring in 1965 and 1966....
, Apollo, Skylab
Skylab
Skylab was a space station launched and operated by NASA, the space agency of the United States. Skylab orbited the Earth from 1973 to 1979, and included a workshop, a solar observatory, and other systems. It was launched unmanned by a modified Saturn V rocket, with a mass of...
(Deputy Director) and Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
projects.
Disher was born in Olmstead, Towner County, North Dakota.
He was raised in Devils Lake, North Dakota and graduated from high school there in 1939. He earned a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
, Grand Forks, in 1943. While at UND, he was a Sigma Nu Fraternity member and was active in the University Concert and Marching Bands.
He attended the advanced management program at the Harvard Business School.
Career
He began his federal career in 1943 with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACANACA
- Organizations :* National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the forerunner of the U.S. federal agency NASA* National Association for Campus Activities, an organization for programmers of university and college activities...
) at the Lewis Research Center in Cleveland. Some of his writings from that period are online here. From 1951 to 1958 he headed the flight research section at Lewis. He was just in time for the beginning of the U.S. space program. In 1959 and 1960, he worked at the Langley Space Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. and later at NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
headquarters in Washington D.C.
As a space scientist, he helped organize the Mercury
Project Mercury
In January 1960 NASA awarded Western Electric Company a contract for the Mercury tracking network. The value of the contract was over $33 million. Also in January, McDonnell delivered the first production-type Mercury spacecraft, less than a year after award of the formal contract. On February 12,...
and Gemini
Project Gemini
Project Gemini was the second human spaceflight program of NASA, the civilian space agency of the United States government. Project Gemini was conducted between projects Mercury and Apollo, with ten manned flights occurring in 1965 and 1966....
manned space flight programs in the late 1950s and 1960s. He then headed the initial studies of the Apollo program, which resulted in the first manned lunar landing in 1969. Later he was deputy director of the Skylab
Skylab
Skylab was a space station launched and operated by NASA, the space agency of the United States. Skylab orbited the Earth from 1973 to 1979, and included a workshop, a solar observatory, and other systems. It was launched unmanned by a modified Saturn V rocket, with a mass of...
space station program. He also worked on the Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
program, including development of a manned maneuvering unit. His last position before retirement was "Director of Advanced Projects".
After retiring from NASA in 1980, he opened a consulting business under the name of "Avanti Systems". His clients included the Italian government, Boeing Aerospace, and the U.S. Office of Technology Assessment. From 1986 until his death in 1988 he served on the University of North Dakota School of Engineering and Mines Advisory Council.
His Alma Mater - the University of North Dakota maintains a collection of John Disher papers deposited by his widow.
Awards and Memberships
In 1973 he received the NASA Distinguished Service MedalNASA Distinguished Service Medal
The NASA Distinguished Service Medal is the highest award which may be bestowed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration of the United States...
and twice he received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal
NASA Exceptional Service Medal
The NASA Exceptional Service Medal is an award granted to U.S. government employees for significant sustained performance characterized by unusual initiative or creative ability that clearly demonstrates substantial improvement in engineering, aeronautics, space flight, administration, support, or...
, the latter in 1980 for his work on Skylab
Skylab
Skylab was a space station launched and operated by NASA, the space agency of the United States. Skylab orbited the Earth from 1973 to 1979, and included a workshop, a solar observatory, and other systems. It was launched unmanned by a modified Saturn V rocket, with a mass of...
.
He also received the Sioux award from the University of North Dakota
University of North Dakota
The University of North Dakota is a public university in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA. Established by the Dakota Territorial Assembly in 1883, six years before the establishment of the state of North Dakota, UND is the oldest and largest university in the state and enrolls over 14,000 students. ...
in 1974. He was a member of the International Academy of Astronautics
International Academy of Astronautics
The International Academy of Astronautics is an international community of experts committed to expanding the frontiers of space. It is a non-governmental organisation established in Stockholm on August 16, 1960....
and a fellow of the British Interplanetary Society
British Interplanetary Society
The British Interplanetary Society founded in 1933 by Philip E. Cleator, is the oldest space advocacy organisation in the world whose aim is exclusively to support and promote astronautics and space exploration.-Structure:...
.
He was a member of The Explorers Club
The Explorers Club
The Explorers Club is a professional society dedicated to scientific exploration of Earth, its oceans, and outer space. Founded in 1904 in New York City, it currently has 30 branches world wide...
of New York, the Corvair
Chevrolet Corvair
-First generation :The 1960 Corvair 500 and 700 series four-door sedans were conceived as economy cars offering few amenities in order to keep the price competitive, with the 500 selling for under $2,000...
Society Of America and the United States Automobile Club Old Timers. He was an authority on racing and antique cars, and through 1948-1987 he served on the Technical Committee at the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
Automobile Race.
He also was a member of the Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church
Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church
Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian Church in Bethesda, Maryland. The church has a unique partnership with the Bethesda Jewish Congregation , in which they share the same space for worship...
in Bethesda, Maryland, where he and his family lived.
Family
He was married to Lillian Helen Rusnak Disher in Cleveland, Ohio on April 9, 1948. They had two sons: James H. Disher and John Thomas Disher.Death
After fighting the symptoms of cancer for about one year he died at the age of 66 on August 27, 1988 at George Washington University HospitalGeorge Washington University Hospital
The George Washington University Hospital is a hospital in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It opened on On August 23, 2002, with 371 beds in a 400,000 sq. ft. building, housing than $45 million of medical equipment and cost more than $96 million to construct...
.