Owen Maynard
Encyclopedia
Owen Eugene Maynard was a Canadian
engineer who contributed to the design of the Canadian CF-105 Avro Arrow jet interceptor; and NASA
's Apollo Lunar Module (LM). Maynard was a member of the group of 32 Canadian and British engineers from Avro Canada who joined NASA when the Arrow was cancelled in 1959. Maynard worked on Project Mercury
until 1960 and then moved to the Apollo program. Maynard won a U.S. patent in 1967 for a space station design.
, Ontario
on October 27, 1924. He served in the Royal Canadian Air Force
in World War II, and earned a BS in Aeronautical Engineering, from the University of Toronto
, Ontario, in 1951.
's Space Task Group
. Later, the group became the Johnson Space Center. There, Maynard was assigned to the Apollo
space flight program. .
By 1963, Maynard became chief of the LM engineering office in the Apollo Program Office in Houston, Texas
. It was acknowledged at the time that Maynard was the person at NASA most responsible for the design of the LM, although most of detailed design work was done at Grumman Aircraft in New York under the direction of Thomas J. Kelly.
In 1964, Maynard was promoted to the position of chief of the systems engineering division in the Apollo Spacecraft Program Office, which put him in charge of systems integration for the Apollo spacecraft. He held this position for most of the remainder of his career at NASA, except for a time in 1966 and 1967 when he was chief of mission operations. While at mission operations, Maynard devised the “A” to “G” sequence for Apollo test flights leading to the first lunar landing on Apollo 11.
Maynard left NASA in 1970, and went on to Raytheon
in the Boston
area. There he worked on many aerospace programs. He also became an advocate for the use of solar power collected on earth for powering spacecraft, and of satellites to collect solar power for the same usage on earth. In 1992, he retired from Raytheon, and he and his wife Helen returned to Canada, where they settled in Waterloo
, Ontario
, where he died on July 15, 2000.
•NASA JSC Oral History Program
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
engineer who contributed to the design of the Canadian CF-105 Avro Arrow jet interceptor; and 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...
's Apollo Lunar Module (LM). Maynard was a member of the group of 32 Canadian and British engineers from Avro Canada who joined NASA when the Arrow was cancelled in 1959. Maynard worked on Project 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,...
until 1960 and then moved to the Apollo program. Maynard won a U.S. patent in 1967 for a space station design.
Early life
Owen Maynard was born in SarniaSarnia, Ontario
Sarnia is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada . It is the largest city on Lake Huron and is located where the upper Great Lakes empty into the St. Clair River....
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
on October 27, 1924. He served in the Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
in World War II, and earned a BS in Aeronautical Engineering, from the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
, Ontario, in 1951.
Career
In 1960, Maynard was part of the small group of engineers at NASANASA
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...
's Space Task Group
Space Task Group
The Space Task Group was a working group of NASA engineers created in 1958, tasked with superintending America's manned spaceflight programs. It was headed by Robert Gilruth andbased at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. After President John F...
. Later, the group became the Johnson Space Center. There, Maynard was assigned to the Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
space flight program. .
By 1963, Maynard became chief of the LM engineering office in the Apollo Program Office in Houston, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. It was acknowledged at the time that Maynard was the person at NASA most responsible for the design of the LM, although most of detailed design work was done at Grumman Aircraft in New York under the direction of Thomas J. Kelly.
In 1964, Maynard was promoted to the position of chief of the systems engineering division in the Apollo Spacecraft Program Office, which put him in charge of systems integration for the Apollo spacecraft. He held this position for most of the remainder of his career at NASA, except for a time in 1966 and 1967 when he was chief of mission operations. While at mission operations, Maynard devised the “A” to “G” sequence for Apollo test flights leading to the first lunar landing on Apollo 11.
Raytheon
Raytheon Company is a major American defense contractor and industrial corporation with core manufacturing concentrations in weapons and military and commercial electronics. It was previously involved in corporate and special-mission aircraft until early 2007...
in the Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
area. There he worked on many aerospace programs. He also became an advocate for the use of solar power collected on earth for powering spacecraft, and of satellites to collect solar power for the same usage on earth. In 1992, he retired from Raytheon, and he and his wife Helen returned to Canada, where they settled in Waterloo
Waterloo, Ontario
Waterloo is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is the smallest of the three cities in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, and is adjacent to the city of Kitchener....
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, where he died on July 15, 2000.
Awards and citations
- NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1969)
- Honorary Doctorate of Engineering, University of Toronto (1996)
External links
•Arrow Recovery Canada•NASA JSC Oral History Program