The Apollo Guidance Computer, a device measuring one cubic foot, allowed NASA to execute complex lunar landings by relying on inertial navigation technology. This advancement was the culmination of decades of research conducted by Charles Stark Draper, an American engineer who transformed how aircraft, missiles, and space vehicles determine their position and velocity without external reference points.
Academic Foundation
Born in Windsor, Missouri, in 1901, Draper began his higher education at the University of Missouri in 1917 before moving to Stanford University. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1922. Transitioning to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology later that year, he shifted his focus toward technical fields. He secured a Bachelor of Science in electrochemical engineering in 1926, a Master of Science in 1928, and a Doctor of Science in physics in 1938.
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Draper started his career at MIT as an assistant professor, eventually reaching the rank of full professor in aeronautical engineering in 1939. During the 1930s, he established the Instrumentation Laboratory, which functioned as the hub for his experimental work. His research into flight instrumentation flourished after he learned to pilot aircraft himself. By the 1940s, he shifted his attention to inertial guidance, creating systems that utilized gyroscopes and accelerometers to monitor changes in motion.
Military and Aerospace Contributions
During World War II, Draper pioneered lead-computing gunsights for aircraft, later adapting this technology for missile guidance systems. His expertise in control systems proved vital to the Apollo program. In 1961, his laboratory received the first contract to develop the navigation systems for the lunar module. Draper remained at MIT until 1970, dedicating his final decade to the software and hardware requirements of the Apollo missions.
Professional Recognition
Draper’s influence reached beyond the laboratory, leading to memberships in prestigious organizations such as the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the French Academy of Sciences. He received over 70 honors, including the Howard N. Potts Medal in 1960 and the Daniel Guggenheim Medal in 1966. In 1981, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. The Instrumentation Laboratory was eventually spun off as a non-profit entity, the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, in 1973.
Fast facts
- Born: 1901, Windsor, Missouri
- Died: 1987, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Education: University of Missouri, Stanford University, MIT
- Primary Employer: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Key Invention: Inertial guidance systems
- National Inventors Hall of Fame induction: 1981
- Daniel Guggenheim Medal: 1966
Questions readers ask
What is Charles Stark Draper best known for?
He is recognized as the father of inertial navigation and the lead developer of the Apollo Guidance Computer.
Where did Draper conduct his primary research?
He performed the majority of his work at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he founded the Instrumentation Laboratory.
Achievements
- National Medal of Science — 1964
- National Aviation Hall of Fame — 1981
- National Inventors Hall of Fame — 1981
- Affiliated with Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Educated at Stanford University, University of Missouri and Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Worked as military flight engineer, inventor and university teacher
