Jack Parsons American rocket scientist and chemist Ask the Chatbot a Question Ask the Chatbot a Question Also known as: John Whiteside Parsons, Marvel Whiteside Parsons Written by René Ostberg René Ostberg is an associate editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica. René Ostberg Fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Dec 4, 2024 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot a Question Quick Facts Born: Marvel Whiteside Parsons (Show more) In full: John Whiteside Parsons (Show more) Born: October 2, 1914, Los Angeles, California, U.S. (Show more) Died: June 17, 1952, Pasadena, California (Show more) Jack Parsons (born October 2, 1914, Los Angeles, California, U.S.—died June 17, 1952, Pasadena, California) was an American rocket scientist and chemist who made significant contributions to the development of rocket technology and missile systems and was a cofounder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and of the Aerojet Engineering Corporation. He was also interested in the occult and for a time was an associate of Church of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. Parsons’s occult activities eventually led to his being sidelined from the world of rocket research. Parsons’s parents, Marvel and Ruth ...(100 of 1385 words)

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