Lonnie George Johnson was born on October 6, 1949. He is an American inventor, aerospace engineer, and entrepreneur. He is best known for inventing the bestselling Super Soaker water gun in 1989. He worked for the U.S. Air Force and NASA. He worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Early life
Johnson was born in Mobile, Alabama, on October 6, 1949. His mother, who completed high school, worked as a nurse's aide. His father, who did not finish high school, was a World War II veteran. Johnson had five siblings. His father taught him the basic principles of electricity when he was young, which sparked Johnson's interest in inventing. Johnson said he "always liked to tinker with things," and neighborhood children gave him the nickname "the Professor" because they helped him with his inventions. Once, he took apart his sister's baby doll to see how the eyes worked. On another occasion, Johnson and the neighborhood children built a go-cart using a motor he made from metal he found at a local junkyard. He also tried to create rocket fuel in a saucepan, but this nearly caused a fire in the house.
Education
As a teenager, Johnson attended Williamson High School, a school where all students were Black in Mobile, Alabama. He found much of his inspiration from George Washington Carver. In 1968, Johnson represented his high school at a science fair in Alabama, where he was the only Black student at the event. At that time, African Americans were not often seen in science. There, he showed a robot he made, which he called "Linex," and won first place. The robot used compressed air for power.
In 1969, after finishing high school, Johnson went to Tuskegee University. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering in 1973 and a master's degree in nuclear engineering in 1975. In 2018, he received an honorary doctorate from Tuskegee University. After completing his master's degree, he worked for the U.S. Air Force, where he helped with the stealth bomber program. Later, he joined NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1979.
Career
From 1979 to 1991, Johnson worked at NASA on many projects. These included tasks for the Air Force missions Lab, creating the nuclear power source for the Galileo mission to Jupiter, several weapons-related projects, and serving as an engineer for the Mariner Mark II Spacecraft series for the Comet Rendezvous and Saturn Orbiter Probe missions. He also worked on the stealth bomber program.
In 1991, Johnson started his own company, Johnson Research and Development Co., Inc., and continues to be its president.
More recently, he partnered with scientists from Tulane University and Tuskegee University to create a way to change heat into electricity, making green energy more affordable.
As of 2022, Johnson owns three technology-development companies: Excellatron Solid State, LLC, Johnson Energy Storage, and Johnson Electro-Mechanical Systems (JEMS). These companies operate in the Sweet Auburn neighborhood of Atlanta, Georgia. JEMS developed the Johnson Thermo-Electrochemical Converter System (JTEC), which Popular Mechanics named one of the top 10 inventions of 2009. Johnson Energy Storage created a solid-state battery and is raising funds to build a demonstration manufacturing line as of early 2023.
Johnson is part of a group of African American inventors whose work accounts for 6 percent of all U.S. patent applications.
Super Soaker
Johnson first thought of the Super Soaker while working with the U.S. Air Force. When it first appeared in toy stores in 1990, it was called the "Power Drencher." After some changes and rebranding, it received its official name, Super Soaker. The toy sold for between $10 and $60, depending on the model. In 1991, it generated $200 million in sales. Shortly after Johnson made a deal for the Super Soaker with the Larami Corporation, Larami became part of Hasbro Inc. in February 1995.
Johnson modified the water gun’s design, replacing water with a toy Nerf projectile. This led to the creation of the N-Strike Nerf product line.
In February 2013, Johnson filed a lawsuit against Hasbro after learning he was being paid less than agreed for the Super Soaker and several Nerf toys. In November 2013, Johnson received nearly $73 million in royalties from Hasbro Inc. through arbitration. Hasbro reported that the Super Soaker is nearing $1 billion in total sales.
Accomplishments
Johnson has more than 250 patents, many of which are for his Super Soaker. He received the Air Force Achievement Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal. He was given many awards by NASA for his work designing spacecraft systems at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. In 2008, he was honored with the Breakthrough Award by the science magazine Popular Mechanics for his work with JTEC. In 2011, he was inducted into the State of Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame. In 2015, the Super Soaker was added to the National Toy Hall of Fame. In 2022, Johnson was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
Personal life
Johnson is married to Linda Moore. They have four children and live in the Ansley Park district of Atlanta, Georgia.