Lonnie Johnson (inventor) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lonnie Johnson
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Lonnie George Johnson
October 6, 1949 Mobile, Alabama, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Tuskegee University (BS, MS) |
| Occupation | Inventor, engineer |
| Years active | 1978–2013 |
| Known for | Super Soaker, Nerf Blaster |
| Spouse(s) | Linda Moore |
| Children | 4 |
Lonnie George Johnson, born on October 6, 1949, is an amazing American inventor and engineer. He is most famous for creating the Super Soaker, a super popular water gun! Before becoming a full-time inventor, he worked for the U.S. Air Force and NASA, helping with cool projects at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
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Lonnie Johnson's Early Life
Lonnie Johnson was born in Mobile, Alabama on October 6, 1949. He grew up with five brothers and sisters. His dad, who was a veteran, taught him about electricity when he was very young. Lonnie loved to "tinker with things" and figure out how they worked. Because of this, kids in his neighborhood called him "the Professor." Once, he even took apart his sister's doll to see how its eyes closed! He also tried to make rocket fuel, which almost caused a fire.
Education and Learning
High School Years
As a teenager, Lonnie went to Williamson High School. This was an all-black school in Mobile. He was inspired by famous inventor George Washington Carver. In 1968, Lonnie showed off a robot he built at a science fair in Alabama. He was the only Black student there. His robot, named "Linex," won first place! It was powered by compressed air.
College and Beyond
After high school, Lonnie went to Tuskegee University in 1969. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1973. Then, he got a master's degree in nuclear engineering in 1975. Tuskegee University also gave him an honorary doctorate in 2018. After college, he worked for the U.S. Air Force on the stealth bomber program. Later, in 1979, he joined NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Lonnie Johnson's Career
Working at NASA
From 1979 to 1991, Lonnie worked at NASA. He helped with many different projects. He worked on the nuclear power source for the Galileo mission to Jupiter. He also worked on the Mariner Mark II Spacecraft series. This included missions to study comets and Saturn. He also contributed to the stealth bomber program.
Starting His Own Company
In 1991, Lonnie started his own company. It's called Johnson Research and Development Co., Inc. He is also the president of this company. More recently, he worked with scientists from Tulane University and Tuskegee University. They developed a way to turn heat into electricity. This helps make green energy more affordable.
Current Work and Inventions
As of 2022, Lonnie Johnson has three technology companies. These are Excellatron Solid State, LLC, Johnson Energy Storage, and Johnson Electro-Mechanical Systems (JEMS). They are located in Atlanta, Georgia. JEMS created the Johnson Thermo-Electrochemical Converter System (JTEC). Popular Mechanics magazine called it one of the top 10 inventions of 2009. Johnson Energy Storage is working on a new type of battery.
Lonnie Johnson is part of a group of African American inventors. Their work makes up 6 percent of all U.S. patent applications.
The Super Soaker Story
Lonnie first thought of the Super Soaker while working for the U.S. Air Force. When it first came out in toy stores in 1990, it was called the "Power Drencher." After some changes and new marketing, it got its famous name, the Super Soaker. These water guns sold for $10 to $60, depending on the model. The Super Soaker became a huge hit! It made $200 million in sales in 1991. Soon after Lonnie made a deal for the Super Soaker with the Larami Corporation, Larami became part of Hasbro Inc. in 1995.
Lonnie also changed the water gun's design. He replaced the water with a toy Nerf projectile. This led to the popular N-Strike Nerf product line. In 2013, Lonnie filed a lawsuit against Hasbro. He found out he was not being paid enough for his Super Soaker and Nerf toy inventions. In November 2013, Lonnie was awarded nearly $73 million in royalties from Hasbro Inc. The Super Soaker has made almost $1 billion in sales!
Amazing Accomplishments
Lonnie Johnson holds over 250 patents. Most of these are for his Super Soaker. He has received many awards for his work. These include the Air Force Achievement Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal. NASA also gave him several awards for his spacecraft designs. In 2008, he won the Breakthrough Award from Popular Mechanics magazine for his JTEC work. In 2011, he was added to the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame. The Super Soaker was put into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2022, Lonnie Johnson was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Lonnie Johnson's Family Life
Lonnie Johnson is married to Linda Moore. They have four children. They live in the Ansley Park area of Atlanta, Georgia.
