Name Desmond King-Hele | Role Physicist | |
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Education Trinity College, Cambridge Books Satellite Orbits in an Atmosph, Erasmus Darwin, Shelley: his thought and work, A tapestry of orbits, Erasmus Darwin and the Roma | ||
Desmond king hele the destruction of the royal aircraft establishment
Desmond George King-Hele (born 3 November 1927 at Seaford in Sussex) is a British physicist and author. In 1957, together with Doreen Gilmour, and as part of the Guided Weapons department of Royal Aircraft Establishment, he wrote a report proposing the use of the Blue Streak missile and Black Knight as a satellite launcher. See also Blue Streak Satellite Launch Vehicle.
He was born in Seaford, Sussex, the son of Sidney G. and Bessie (née Sayer) King-Hele and was educated at Epsom College and Trinity College, Cambridge.
He joined the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough in 1948 and stayed there until 1988, researching the earth's gravity field and upper atmosphere by analysis of satellite orbits. He was awarded the Eddington Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1971 for his work on the geophysical application of the study of the orbits of artificial satellites. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in March 1966.
He married Marie Newman in 1954; they had two daughters.
He is the author of A Tapestry of Orbits, Observing Earth Satellites, Satellites and Scientific Research, Theory of Satellite Orbits in an Atmosphere, Shelley: His Thought and Work, Doctor of Revolution and Erasmus Darwin: A Life of Unequalled Achievement. He is also the author of two books of poetry.