The joystick control system, a standard feature in modern aviation, originated from the patent designs of Robert Esnault-Pelterie in the early twentieth century. This French engineer transitioned from pioneering monoplane design and experimental aero engine development to becoming a foundational theorist in the field of rocketry and the scientific pursuit of interplanetary travel.
Early Aviation and the REP Monoplane
Esnault-Pelterie began his aviation career by testing glider designs on a beach near Calais. After abandoning the Wright brothers' wing-warping technique, he developed the aileron, a control surface that predated most other applications. By 1906, he shifted to powered flight, successfully flying 500 meters during trials in September. His REP 1 aircraft, powered by a seven-cylinder, 30 horsepower air-cooled engine of his own creation, achieved sustained flight in 1907. He later produced the REP 2 monoplane, which established records for distance and altitude before he moved toward mass production, influencing designs later manufactured by Vickers Limited.
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The development of early aircraft placed significant financial strain on his family. However, his invention of the joystick flight control mechanism eventually secured his professional and financial future. When fellow aviator Louis Blériot integrated the control into his eighth design in 1908, it established a precedent for aircraft navigation. Following the First World War, Esnault-Pelterie initiated successful legal proceedings against aircraft manufacturers who had utilized his joystick patent. The resulting royalties allowed him to recover the substantial investments his father had previously made into his engineering projects.
Astronautics and Theoretical Rocketry
In 1913, Esnault-Pelterie published findings on the rocket equation and calculated the energy requirements for reaching the Moon and other planets. His seminal 1930 work, L'Astronautique, formalized his theories on nuclear power and interplanetary travel. During a 1927 symposium for the Société astronomique de France, he advocated for rocket-based exploration of the upper atmosphere. In the 1930s, he partnered with Jean-Jacques Barré to secure French War Department funding for liquid-propellant research. During these experiments, he suffered a permanent injury, losing four fingers in an explosion while working with tetra-nitromethane.
The Prix REP-Hirsch
To advance the emerging science of astronautics, Esnault-Pelterie and banker André-Louis Hirsch established the world's first award for space exploration in 1928. Administered by the Société astronomique de France, the prize recognized original scientific research that contributed to human understanding of space travel. The committee responsible for the award included notable figures such as Gustave-Auguste Ferrié and Jean Perrin. The prize remained active for a decade, later transitioning into the Prix International d'Astronautique in 1936.
Fast facts
- Born: 1881, 9th arrondissement of Paris
- Died: 1957, Paris
- Education: Science Faculty of Paris
- Key Invention: Joystick flight control
- Notable Award: Prix Jules Janssen (1930)
- Professional Recognition: Officer of the Legion of Honour (1921)
- Burial Place: Montmartre Cemetery
- Field: Space Exploration
Questions readers ask
What was the significance of the REP engine design?
He designed unusual multiple-banked fan or half-radial engines, including a 30-horsepower seven-cylinder version and a 60-horsepower 14-cylinder model.
Did he succeed in securing military interest in his rockets?
No. Despite obtaining funding from the French War Department in 1930 for research into ballistic missiles and liquid propellants, his efforts ultimately failed to generate sustained interest in rocketry within France.
Achievements
- Officer of the Legion of Honour — 1921
- International Space Hall of Fame — 1976
- Knight of the Legion of Honour — 1913
- Educated at Science Faculty of Paris
- Worked as aircraft pilot and military flight engineer
