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 October 6, 1949) is an American inventor and engineer. He is most famous for inventing the Super Soaker water gun, which became a huge bestseller. Before becoming a full-time inventor, he worked for the U.S. Air Force and NASA, helping with important space missions.
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Early Life and Discoveries
Lonnie Johnson was born in Mobile, Alabama. His mother was a nurse's aide, and his father was a veteran who taught him about electricity. Lonnie always loved to build and take things apart. Kids in his neighborhood even called him "The Professor"! He once took apart his sister's doll to see how its eyes closed. He also tried to make rocket fuel in a pot, which almost caused a fire!
As a teenager, Lonnie went to Williamson High School. He was inspired by famous inventor George Washington Carver. In 1968, Lonnie was the only Black student at a science fair in Alabama. He showed off a robot he built called "Linex," which ran on compressed air. He won first place!
After high school, Lonnie went to Tuskegee University. He earned a degree in mechanical engineering in 1973 and a master's degree in nuclear engineering in 1975. Later, Tuskegee University gave him an honorary Ph.D. in Science. After college, he worked for the U.S. Air Force on the stealth bomber program. Then, in 1979, he joined NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Career at NASA and Beyond
From 1979 to 1991, Lonnie worked on many exciting projects at NASA. He helped develop the nuclear power source for the Galileo mission, which traveled to Jupiter. He also worked on the stealth bomber program.
In 1991, Lonnie started his own company, Johnson Research and Development Co., Inc. He is the president of this company.
More recently, Lonnie has worked with scientists from Tulane University and Tuskegee University. They are trying to find ways to turn heat into electricity. This could make green energy more affordable for everyone.
As of 2022, Lonnie Johnson runs three technology companies in Atlanta, Georgia. One of his companies, JEMS, developed something called the Johnson Thermo-Electrochemical Converter System (JTEC). Popular Mechanics magazine called JTEC one of the top 10 inventions of 2009!
The Super Soaker Story
Lonnie first thought of the Super Soaker while working for the U.S. Air Force. He was experimenting with a new kind of heat pump. One day, he accidentally shot a powerful stream of water across the room! He realized this could be a fun toy.
When it first appeared in toy stores in 1990, it was called the "Power Drencher." After some changes and new marketing, it became the famous Super Soaker. The toy was a huge hit, selling for $10 to $60 depending on the model. In 1991 alone, it made $200 million in sales! The company that made the Super Soaker, Larami Corporation, later became part of Hasbro Inc.
Lonnie also changed the Super Soaker's design to shoot foam Nerf darts instead of water. This led to the popular Nerf N-Strike product line.
In 2013, Lonnie Johnson found out he was not getting all the money he was owed for the Super Soaker and Nerf toys. He took legal action against Hasbro. In November 2013, he was awarded nearly $73 million in royalties from Hasbro Inc. The Super Soaker has made almost $1 billion in sales!
Awards and Recognition
Lonnie Johnson holds more than 250 patents, and most of them are for his Super Soaker. He has received several awards for his work. The U.S. Air Force gave him the Air Force Achievement Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal. NASA also gave him awards for his work on spacecraft design.
In 2008, Popular Mechanics magazine gave him the Breakthrough Award for his work on JTEC. In 2011, he was added to the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame. The Super Soaker was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2022, Lonnie Johnson was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Personal Life
Lonnie Johnson is married to Linda Moore. They have four children and live in Atlanta, Georgia.
