Fun Facts About Lonnie Johnson: Lonnie George Johnson is an engineer who is best known for inventing the Super Soaker water gun. He has also worked as an engineer on spacecraft that have been sent to Jupiter and Mars. Johnson grew up in Mobile, Alabama and attended the all-Black Williamson High School. He entered the Junior Engineering Technical Society science fair in 1968 with a robot built from junkyard scraps that won first prize. Check Fun Facts About Lonnie Johnson here.
Fun Facts About Lonnie Johnson: Born in Mobile, Alabama
Lonnie George Johnson was born on October 6, 1949 in Mobile, Alabama. His father was a WWII veteran who worked as a civilian driver at a nearby Air Force base and his mother worked in a laundry and as a nurse’s aid. Because of financial restraints, Johnson and his five siblings were taught how to build their own toys by their father, a skilled handyman. From a young age, Johnson became fascinated with how things operated and was constantly tinkering. He would pull apart his sister’s dolls to see how the eyes closed and even created rocket fuel on the kitchen stove. Johnson grew up to become an incredibly gifted student and was able to attend the all-Black Williamson High School during the days of legal segregation in Alabama. While there, he dreamed of becoming a scientist and hoped to follow in the footsteps of famous Black inventor George Washington Carver. Despite being told by teachers not to aspire beyond being a technician, Johnson kept pursuing his dream and won a science fair with a robot he built called “Linex.” Check Fun Facts About Lonnie Johnson here.
After graduating from Williamson High in 1968 (the same year that the University of Alabama integrated), Johnson attended Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) on a scholarship and earned both his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and his master’s in nuclear engineering two years later. He went on to work for the U.S. Air Force and helped develop the Stealth Bomber before joining NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory where he worked on missions to Jupiter and Saturn as well as the Super Soaker water gun.
Invented the Super Soaker
Fun Facts About Lonnie Johnson: Lonnie Johnson, a 2022 National Inventors Hall of Fame inductee, is best known for his invention of the Super Soaker water gun, which has generated over $1 billion in sales to date. The toy’s success has allowed him to pursue other engineering endeavors, including developing more efficient rechargeable batteries and sustainable solar power.
Johnson’s love for inventing began at a young age, and his parents encouraged him to pursue a career in science and technology. He attended Tuskegee University and earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, followed by a master’s in nuclear engineering. After graduation, he worked at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to design spacecraft systems.
While at work, he conceived of the Super Soaker water gun by accident. During an experiment at home, he wanted to build a refrigeration system that used water instead of the environmentally hazardous Freon. He connected a spray nozzle to a pressure pump, and the Super Soaker was born! Fun Facts About Lonnie Johnson.
The toy’s success allowed Johnson to form his own engineering firm and create dozens of other patents. His companies now develop energy technologies for everything from toys to spacecraft. And, as always, he continues to mentor future generations of engineers, with a special focus on young people of color. He also teaches college students and conducts seminars on engineering and inventions.
Invented the Johnson Thermoelectric Energy Converter
Lonnie Johnson is a member of the vanishing breed of self-inventors, who are constantly tinkering and building devices. He started by repairing appliances with his father, and his knack for inventing was evident as a high school student when he won a science competition with a robot he constructed out of junkyard scraps named Linex. That invention led to a scholarship to Tuskegee University, where he earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical and nuclear engineering.
His professional career began with the Air Force, where he worked on the stealth bomber program. He then went to work for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he developed thermodynamic and control systems for spacecraft projects, including the Galileo Jupiter probe and Mars Observer project. Fun Facts About Lonnie Johnson.
After working for the military and NASA, Johnson refocused on his personal hobbies. He created the Super Soaker water gun, which is one of the most popular toys in the world. It generates over $200 million in sales per year and has been featured on numerous television shows and commercials. Johnson has also developed a home radon detector and rechargeable battery technology.
He founded Atlanta-based Johnson Research and Development, where he has accumulated dozens of patents. He continues to conduct research on energy technologies and is developing a device that converts solar energy into sustainable power.
Invented the Johnson Thermoelectric Generator
Know Fun Facts About Lonnie Johnson. From his childhood, Lonnie Johnson was fascinated by science and engineering. He was especially inspired by inventor George Washington Carver. In high school, he created a robot from scrap metal and named it “Linex.” His creation won a state science fair prize, which helped him get a math scholarship to Tuskegee University.
After graduating from Tuskegee, Johnson worked for Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the United States Air Force. Eventually, he became the lead engineer for spacecraft systems at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. His work on nuclear-powered space launches helped him earn many awards and accolades. Fun Facts About Lonnie Johnson.
In his spare time, Johnson continued to work on various projects that he thought could make the world a better place. One such project was a refrigeration system that used water instead of Freon, which had been shown to be responsible for the depletion of Earth’s ozone layer. One night in 1982, Johnson decided to test the water-based refrigerator he’d been working on. He aimed its nozzle at his bathtub, pulled the lever, and blasted a powerful stream of water straight into the tub!
Johnson realized this invention had the potential to change lives. He soon licensed his creation to Larami Corporation, and the Super Soaker was born! It quickly became a massively popular toy that has provided generations of kids with hours of outdoor fun. Today, Johnson owns a few technology companies, including Excellatron Solid State and Johnson Battery Technologies, and continues to work on revolutionary energy systems. He is also a member of the Georgia Alliance for Children board, a trustee of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and an honorary fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences. What else the Fun Facts About Lonnie Johnson?