Herman Potočnik Biography

Herman Potočnik was a Slovenian rocket engineer who is most remembered for his outstanding contribution in the field of space travel. Born to Slovene parents in Pula, he was one of the five children in his family. His father served as a naval officer and doctor for the Austrian army but passed away when Herman was just two years old. His mother moved the family to Maribor where he received his primary education and later went on to attend military schools. Characterized as determined, confident, serious and aspiring, he served in a railway corps as a first lieutenant during the First World War. After retiring from the army due to illness, he completed his engineering and electro-technical studies in Vienna with specialization in rocket technology. Thereafter, he conducted extensive research on the rocket science and space technology, later sharing his knowledge and futuristic vision in his sole literary work which he wrote on his death bed. His book presented the first strategic plan for the human exploration of space with revolutionary ideas of the geo-stationary satellite and the manned space station. His innovative techniques, ideas, and many predictions enjoy increasing confirmation with each new extra-terrestrial accomplishment in the modern era. A visionary with an extraordinary technological imagination, Herman Potocnik is remembered today as a pioneer of astronautics