ENGINEER
Robert R. Gilruth
1913 - 2000

Robert R. Gilruth
Robert Rowe Gilruth (October 8, 1913 – August 17, 2000) was an American aerospace engineer and an aviation/space pioneer who was the first director of NASA's Manned Spacecraft Center, later renamed the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. He worked for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) from 1937 to 1958 and its successor NASA, until his retirement in 1973. He was involved with early research into supersonic flight and rocket-powered aircraft, and then with the United States human spaceflight program, including the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in 17 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 15 in 2024). Robert R. Gilruth is the 361st most popular engineer (up from 366th in 2024), the 12,087th most popular biography from United States (up from 13,092nd in 2019) and the 43rd most popular American Engineer.
Memorability Metrics
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Among ENGINEERS
Among engineers, Robert R. Gilruth ranks 358 out of 389. Before him are Ivan Artobolevsky, John Lombe, and Kevin Warwick. After him are Nicholas Tombazis, Tom Dowd, Otmar Szafnauer, Robert Zubrin, David S. Johnson, Tom Kilburn, Pat Fry, Mike Gascoyne, and Mike Coughlan.
Most Popular Engineers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsIvan Artobolevsky
1905 - 1977
HPI: 50.75
Rank: 355
John Lombe
1693 - 1722
HPI: 50.64
Rank: 356
Kevin Warwick
1954 - Present
HPI: 50.59
Rank: 357
Robert R. Gilruth
1913 - 2000
HPI: 50.48
Rank: 358
Nicholas Tombazis
1968 - Present
HPI: 50.42
Rank: 359
Tom Dowd
1925 - 2002
HPI: 50.18
Rank: 360
Otmar Szafnauer
1964 - Present
HPI: 50.08
Rank: 361
Robert Zubrin
1952 - Present
HPI: 50.04
Rank: 362
David S. Johnson
1945 - 2016
HPI: 49.87
Rank: 363
Tom Kilburn
1921 - 2001
HPI: 49.42
Rank: 364
Pat Fry
1964 - Present
HPI: 49.32
Rank: 365
Mike Gascoyne
1963 - Present
HPI: 49.31
Rank: 366
Mike Coughlan
1959 - Present
HPI: 49.30
Rank: 367
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1913, Robert R. Gilruth ranks 399. Before him are Robert Lowery, Angus Wilson, Jack Fairman, Frans Peeraer, Peter Glenville, and Duane Swanson. After him are Peter Doherty, Kurt Dossin, Sid James, Coral Browne, Charlie Barnet, and R. S. Thomas. Among people deceased in 2000, Robert R. Gilruth ranks 342. Before him are Francis Lederer, Marceline Day, Malcolm Bradbury, Duane Swanson, Spyridon Belokas, and Alfred Kuchevsky. After him are A. H. Albut, Robert Cormier, Ann Doran, Alla Rakha, Jimmie Davis, and James Grogan.
Others Born in 1913
Go to all RankingsRobert Lowery
ACTOR
1913 - 1971
HPI: 50.97
Rank: 393
Angus Wilson
WRITER
1913 - 1991
HPI: 50.81
Rank: 394
Jack Fairman
RACING DRIVER
1913 - 2002
HPI: 50.66
Rank: 395
Frans Peeraer
SOCCER PLAYER
1913 - 1988
HPI: 50.65
Rank: 396
Peter Glenville
FILM DIRECTOR
1913 - 1996
HPI: 50.61
Rank: 397
Duane Swanson
BASKETBALL PLAYER
1913 - 2000
HPI: 50.61
Rank: 398
Robert R. Gilruth
ENGINEER
1913 - 2000
HPI: 50.48
Rank: 399
Peter Doherty
COACH
1913 - 1990
HPI: 50.32
Rank: 400
Kurt Dossin
HANDBALL PLAYER
1913 - 2004
HPI: 50.13
Rank: 401
Sid James
ACTOR
1913 - 1976
HPI: 49.89
Rank: 402
Coral Browne
ACTOR
1913 - 1991
HPI: 49.77
Rank: 403
Charlie Barnet
MUSICIAN
1913 - 1991
HPI: 49.69
Rank: 404
R. S. Thomas
WRITER
1913 - 2000
HPI: 49.49
Rank: 405
Others Deceased in 2000
Go to all RankingsFrancis Lederer
ACTOR
1899 - 2000
HPI: 50.89
Rank: 336
Marceline Day
ACTOR
1908 - 2000
HPI: 50.85
Rank: 337
Malcolm Bradbury
WRITER
1932 - 2000
HPI: 50.73
Rank: 338
Duane Swanson
BASKETBALL PLAYER
1913 - 2000
HPI: 50.61
Rank: 339
Spyridon Belokas
ATHLETE
1878 - 2000
HPI: 50.58
Rank: 340
Alfred Kuchevsky
HOCKEY PLAYER
1931 - 2000
HPI: 50.50
Rank: 341
Robert R. Gilruth
ENGINEER
1913 - 2000
HPI: 50.48
Rank: 342
A. H. Albut
BUSINESSPERSON
HPI: 50.47
Rank: 343
Robert Cormier
WRITER
1925 - 2000
HPI: 50.44
Rank: 344
Ann Doran
ACTOR
1911 - 2000
HPI: 50.32
Rank: 345
Alla Rakha
MUSICIAN
1919 - 2000
HPI: 50.22
Rank: 346
Jimmie Davis
SINGER
1899 - 2000
HPI: 50.10
Rank: 347
James Grogan
SKATER
1931 - 2000
HPI: 50.08
Rank: 348
Among ENGINEERS In United States
Among engineers born in United States, Robert R. Gilruth ranks 42. Before him are Gordon Bell (1934), Beatrice Hicks (1919), Hugh Latimer Dryden (1898), T. Keith Glennan (1905), and Chuck Peddle (1937). After him are Tom Dowd (1925), Robert Zubrin (1952), David S. Johnson (1945), John Houbolt (1919), Douglas H. Wheelock (1960), Henry M. Morris (1918), and Ted Jensen (1954).
Gordon Bell
1934 - 2024
HPI: 54.10
Rank: 37
Beatrice Hicks
1919 - 1979
HPI: 53.55
Rank: 38
Hugh Latimer Dryden
1898 - 1965
HPI: 52.82
Rank: 39
T. Keith Glennan
1905 - 1995
HPI: 52.71
Rank: 40
Chuck Peddle
1937 - 2019
HPI: 51.31
Rank: 41
Robert R. Gilruth
1913 - 2000
HPI: 50.48
Rank: 42
Tom Dowd
1925 - 2002
HPI: 50.18
Rank: 43
Robert Zubrin
1952 - Present
HPI: 50.04
Rank: 44
David S. Johnson
1945 - 2016
HPI: 49.87
Rank: 45
John Houbolt
1919 - 2014
HPI: 48.71
Rank: 46
Douglas H. Wheelock
1960 - Present
HPI: 47.48
Rank: 47
Henry M. Morris
1918 - 2006
HPI: 46.51
Rank: 48
Ted Jensen
1954 - Present
HPI: 45.36
Rank: 49












































