G. Harry Stine
G. Harry Stine (1928-1997) was a notable American engineer, author, and influential figure in the field of rocketry and space exploration. Born in Philadelphia, he pursued higher education at the University of Colorado and later at Colorado College, where he earned a degree in physics. Stine's career was marked by significant contributions to the U.S. space program, serving as chief of the propulsion branch and later as chief of range operations at White Sands Proving Grounds in New Mexico.
In addition to his engineering work, Stine was an accomplished writer, often publishing under the pseudonym Lee Correy, particularly within the Star Trek franchise. His writing is characterized by a strong scientific foundation, avoiding the "rubber science" often found in speculative fiction, and emphasizing the role of private industry in space development. He was also instrumental in popularizing model rocketry among youth, earning him the title of the "father of model rocketry." Stine's legacy continues to impact both the technical and literary realms of space exploration. He passed away from a stroke in 1997.
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G. Harry Stine
- Born: March 26, 1928
- Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Died: November 2, 1997
- Place of death: Phoenix, Arizona
Biography
George Harry Stine was born on March 26, 1928, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He went to the University of Colorado in Colorado Springs from 1946 to 1950, and during that period was also editor of The Window, a literary journal. He also attended Colorado College, from which he earned a bachelor’s degree in physics in 1952. In that year, he married Barbara Ann Kauthy, with whom he had two daughters and one son.
After completing his education, he took work in America’s growing space program, becoming first chief of the propulsion branch and later the chief of range operations at White Sands Proving Grounds in New Mexico. He later became a corporate officer and researcher in a number of technological companies associated with rockets and missiles. During that period he began writing, mostly in the Star Trek franchise, under the pseudonym of Lee Correy.
At that time, science fiction was still generally regarded as “low” and disreputable, and there were concerns that his reputation as a serious scientist and engineer might be tarnished if it were generally known that he wrote such works. However, he was also becoming steadily more involved in the editing of various magazines and journals. By the 1970’s and 1980’s, he moved steadily to doing less engineering work and more writing, and by the mid-1980’s he became a full-time writer and began actually publishing works under his own name.
All of Stine’s works feature a firm grounding in the nuts and bolts of the sciences and technologies involved in the story. One finds no rubber science in his works, and many of the technologies he describes are close enough to the present to actually be attainable given the necessary investments and social priorities. In the tradition of Robert A. Heinlein, there is often an emphasis on private industries and companies becoming involved in the development of space travel and space industry. He also encouraged the development of an interest in rocketry by the young through the building and firing of model rockets, and has been called the “father of model rocketry.” Stine died of a stroke on November 2, 1997.