Desmond King-Hele facts for kids
Desmond George King-Hele (born November 3, 1927 – died December 25, 2019) was a brilliant British scientist. He was a physicist, a poet, and an author. He loved both science and the arts. He wrote a lot about Erasmus Darwin, linking him to famous poets like Shelley and Wordsworth. In 1957, he helped suggest using rockets like the Blue Streak and Black Knight to launch satellites into space.
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Who Was Desmond King-Hele?
Desmond George King-Hele was a remarkable British scientist. He was known for his work in physics. He also had a passion for poetry and writing. He showed that science and arts can go together.
Early Life and Education
Desmond King-Hele was born in Seaford, Sussex. His parents were Sidney G. and Bessie King-Hele. He went to Epsom College for his schooling. Later, he studied at Trinity College, Cambridge.
A Career in Space Science
In 1948, Desmond King-Hele started working at the Royal Aircraft Establishment in Farnborough. He stayed there for 40 years, until 1988. He researched Earth's gravity and its upper atmosphere. He did this by studying the paths of satellites.
His work helped us understand our planet better. He was a pioneer in "space geodesy." This is the science of measuring Earth's shape and gravity using satellites.
Awards and Discoveries
Desmond King-Hele received many important awards for his work. In 1971, he won the Eddington Medal. This award was from the Royal Astronomical Society. It recognized his studies of satellite orbits. These studies helped us learn about Earth's features.
He was also elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1966. This is a very high honor for scientists. In 1971, he won the Chree medal and prize too.
One of his big discoveries was about Earth's shape. He found that Earth is not a perfect sphere. It's slightly "pear-shaped." The north and south poles have a small difference of about 45 meters in their radius.
In 1973, he made a correct prediction. He said that the Skylab space station would fall back to Earth in 1979.
Personal Life
Desmond King-Hele married Marie Newman in 1954. They had two daughters together. He passed away on December 25, 2019.
