Rocket Man

Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk. All titans of innovation. But also masters of showcasing their innovations. You may not have heard of Max Valier, but he too is an example of the bravado, vision and wild ideas required to alter the course of history. While everybody else was talking combustion engines in the early 20th century, Max was working with rockets. This early pioneer of rocket-powered travel — whose demonstrations in the 1930s brought people in droves to the racetrack — inspired the next generation of scientists and engineers.

To see the art in this story, visit energyphile.org/rocket.