Charles Bartley

Charles E. Bartley (1921–1996) was an American scientist, known for developing the first elastomeric solid rocket propellant formula, at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (now part of NASA) in Pasadena, California in the late 1940s.

Bartley founded Grand Central Rocket Company in Redlands, California in 1952. Six years later, his company provided the fuel for the third stage of Explorer I, America's first satellite. Bartley eventually sold Grand Central and founded two other solid propellant rocket companies specializing in weather rockets and ejection seats for jets—Rocket Power, which he formed in Mesa, Ariz., in 1959, and Universal Propulsion Co., which he established in Phoenix in 1963. He was elected to the American Rocket Society (now the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics) in 1951. In 1953, he was given a society award for outstanding contributions.

A full essay on Charles Bartley's contributions to the world of solid propellant rocket motors and the business after their development is contained in: CHARLES BARTLEY interviewed by John F. Bluth, October 3 and 4, 1994 Recorded and documented in the JET PROPULSION LABORATORY ARCHIVES ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM

His wife, Helen Bartley, and four children, Steve (Leslie) Bartley, Judy (John) Blabe, Susan (Robert) Lea, and Jack Bartley. Six grandchildren, Jed Bartley, Daniel Bartley, Christine Blabe, Cynthia Blabe, Sabrina Lea, Graham Lea.