JPL News -- William H. Pickering, Former Director of JPL, Dies: "William H. Pickering, Former Director of JPL, Dies
March 16, 2004
Dr. William H. Pickering, a central figure in the U.S. space race and former director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., from 1954 to 1976, has died.
Pickering -- known affectionately as 'Mr. JPL' and an original 'Rocket Man,' and one of few public figures to appear twice on the cover of Time magazine -- passed away Monday of pneumonia at his home in La Canada Flintridge, Calif. He was 93.
'Dr. Pickering was one of the titans of our nation's space program,' said Dr. Charles Elachi, the current director of JPL. 'It was his leadership that took America into space and opened up the moon and planets to the world.'
'He brought a vision and passion to space exploration that was remarkable,' said Dr. Ed Weiler, NASA's associate administrator for space science. 'His pioneering work is the very foundation we have built upon to explore our solar system and beyond.'
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See JPL News Release - LRK -