Hans K. Ziegler
Hans K. Ziegler ( born March 1, 1911 in Munich, † 11 December 1999) was a pioneer in the field of satellite communications and the use of solar cells for energy supply of satellites.
Life
Hans Ziegler was born in Munich. He studied at the Technical College, now Technical University Munich ( TUM) and began his career as a research assistant. He then spent 10 years in the German industry in research. During World War II he worked at the company Rosenthal in Selb in Bavaria, for the production of high voltage porcelain.
In 1947, he came along with Wernher von Braun as part of Operation Paperclip, in which the United States German engineers and scientists won for know -how transfer in the United States. He came to the U.S. Army Signal Corps ' Laboratories in Fort Monmouth, NJ, 1954, he was naturalized.
Ziegler's work in the U.S. had a great influence on the development of military electronics, and in particular by the electronics in the early stages of the U.S. space program. Of the thirty years that he as an engineer in electronics and electrical engineering at the research and development division of the U.S. Army in Fort Monmouth, NJ, USA, worked, he was twelve years in the highest position as lead developer. At Fort Monmouth, he worked as a scientific consultant, assistant director of research, director of the Astro- Electronics Division, chief scientist (1959). Following a restructuring of the army, he was in 1963 Deputy for Science and Chief Scientist of the U.S. Army Electronics Command, and from 1971 until his retirement Director of the U.S. Army Electronics Technology & Devices Laboratory.
In May 1954, after an assessment of the solar cells by Daryl Chapin, Calvin Souther Fuller and Gerald Pearson at Bell Laboratories, Ziegler expressed in a statement, mutatis mutandis, as follows: " In the future development of the silicon solar cell, it is quite possible that this is will prove to be an important source of electrical energy, since the assignment of all roofs of cities and towns would be sufficient to meet the entire demand of electrical energy for the country. " ( " Future development [ of the silicon solar cell] june well render it into to important source of electrical power [ as] the roofs of all our buildings in cities and towns equipped with solar [ cells ] would be Sufficient to produce this country 's demand for electrical power Entire. " )
Based on silicon solar cells, he told the head of the U.S. Signal Corps, General James O'Connell, in September 1955 in a meeting: " In the long run, humanity has no choice but to turn to the sun, if it is to survive. " (" In fact, in the long run, mankind has no choice but to turn to the sun if it wants to survive. " )
For the Signal Corps, he should with his team create the prospects for the application of this technique in the field of communication and named as the most important application, the power supply of an artificial satellite. He knew he was not the first case, who suggested such an application, such as the science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke in 1945 already made this proposal, without, however, was present at the time a specific technique for this.
Ziegler was involved in the development of the first planned satellite. The first satellite, Explorer I, flew without solar cells into space, not least because it was a quick stop-gap to show after the launch of Sputnik to the American public that even America's scientists were able to launch a satellite. This actually provided satellite project, the project Vanguard, came up with the shot- in one orbit on March 17, 1958 satellite called Vanguard I a success.
This satellite was contrary to the ideas of the Navy, which still held the solar cells for too immature technology, due to the persistent interaction of Hans Ziegler four solar cells in the skin that could supply the instruments and their service work performed reliably for more than seven years. After this success, solar cells were established as an energy source for satellites. In the development of the world's first communications satellite SCORE, which was launched in 1958, he was involved.
At the presentation of a recognition of the U.S. Department of Defense ( Meritorious Civilian Service Award ) in 1963 he was honored as a pioneer in communications satellites and for Solarenegiesysteme for deploying satellite (world pioneer in communications satellites and solar energy systems to power satellites ). When he retired in 1977, he was awarded the highest award of the Army for extraordinary achievements in the civilian sector ( exceptional civilian service) decorated.
Hans Ziegler was the author of many technical publications, a member of the IEEE, and represented the U.S. military and civilian in many national and international boards and committees. In 1958 he was a member of the U.S. delegation for the International Geophysical Year in Moscow, 1964, he surveyed the scientific activities in Antarctica and the South Pole, led by the U.S. National Science Foundation.
Hans Ziegler's wife Friederike died 1996. He last lived in Colts Neck, New Jersey, USA, and died at the age of 88 years on 11 December 1999. He is survived by his daughters Christine Griffith and Friederike Meindl and his son Hans.