Reimar Lüst facts for kids

Reimar Lüst (born March 25, 1923 – died March 31, 2020) was a German scientist who studied space, known as an astrophysicist. He played a huge role in starting European space science. He was the scientific leader of the European Space Research Organisation (ESRO) from 1962. Later, he became the Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA) from 1984 to 1990.

Lüst also taught at universities around the world. He helped guide German science policy as the head of the Wissenschaftsrat (Science Council) from 1969 to 1972. From 1972 to 1984, he was the president of the German Max Planck Society, a famous research organization. He also helped make Jacobs University Bremen a top international school. For his important work, he received many honors, including the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Reimar Lüst's Early Life and Education

Reimar Lüst was born on March 25, 1923, in Barmen, which is now part of Wuppertal, Germany. When he was 10, he attended a school focused on classical studies in Kassel. However, his schooling was stopped in 1941 because he had to join the German Navy during World War II.

He served as an engineer on a submarine called U-528. His submarine was sunk, and he became a prisoner of war in England and the U.S. from 1943 to 1946. He even started studying while he was a prisoner.

Reimar Lüst's University Studies

After the war, Lüst continued his education in 1946. He earned his first degree in physics from the University of Frankfurt am Main in 1949. Then, he received his doctorate degree from the University of Göttingen in 1951. His main teacher and guide for his doctorate was Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker.

From 1951, he worked as an assistant at the Max Planck Institute in Göttingen. He also received a special scholarship, called a Fulbright Fellowship, to study in the U.S. at the University of Chicago and Princeton University in 1955 and 1956.

Reimar Lüst as a Professor

Reimar Lüst became a professor at several well-known universities. These included New York University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He made important contributions to understanding how planets form and how the Sun works. He also studied cosmic rays (tiny particles from space), plasma physics (the study of hot, charged gases), and hydrodynamics (the study of how liquids move).

Reimar Lüst's Leadership in Space Science

Reimar Lüst was very interested in European space science from its very beginning. He was involved with the "Commission préparatoire européenne de recherches spatiales" (COPERS), which was a group preparing for European space research.

He started as a secretary for a scientific group and then became the Scientific Director of the European Space Research Organisation (ESRO) in 1962. In this role, he helped shape the scientific plans for ESRO until 1964. He later became the vice president of ESRO from 1968 to 1970.

Reimar Lüst's Role in German Science

From 1969 to 1972, Lüst was the chairman of the Wissenschaftsrat. This is an important advisory board that gives advice to German national and state governments about science.

For ESRO, he helped launch sounding rockets. These rockets are used to study the upper atmosphere and the space between planets. He also directed experiments on satellites like ESRO-IV, HEOS-A, and COS-B.

Reimar Lüst's Leadership Roles

From 1972 to 1984, Reimar Lüst was the president of the German Max Planck Society. This is a very important organization that runs many research institutes in Germany.

After that, he became the third Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA) from 1984 until 1990. ESA is a major organization that plans and carries out space missions for many European countries.

Later in his career, he served as president and then honorary president of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. This foundation helps scientists from around the world come to Germany to do research. He also taught as a professor at the University of Hamburg. From 2005, he was the honorary chairman of the board of the international Jacobs University Bremen.

Reimar Lüst was married to Nina Grunenberg-Lüst and had two sons from his first marriage. He passed away on March 31, 2020, shortly after his 97th birthday.

Reimar Lüst's Awards and Honors

Reimar Lüst received many awards for his important work. In 1987, he was given the Austrian Wilhelm Exner Medal. An asteroid, a small planet-like object, was even named "Lüst" (4836 Lüst) after him!

In 1995, he received the Adenauer-de Gaulle Prize for helping French and German people work together. He also got the Weizman Award in the Sciences and Humanities in 1995. He was an Officer of the Légion d’Honneur, a high French award, and received the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, which is Germany's highest civilian honor.

During the 10th anniversary celebration of Jacobs University Bremen, he received the university's first honorary doctorate. This was to recognize his amazing achievements in space research and his success as a science leader. The award also honored his key role in planning and developing Jacobs University. Lüst was very important in shaping the unique character of Jacobs University, which has been ranked among the best universities in Germany.