Foundation_of_JPL_and_leading_the_Agape_Lodge:_1942.E2.80.9344 Jack_Parsons_(rocket_engineer)

solid-fuel jato unit manufactured aerojet @ national air , space museum

aerojet s first 2 contracts u.s. navy; bureau of aeronautics requested solid-fuel jato , wilbur wright field requested liquid-fuel unit. air corps had requested 2 thousand jatos aerojet late 1943, committing $256,000 toward parsons solid-fuel type. despite drastically increased turnover, company continued operate informally , remained intertwined galcit project. caltech astronomer fritz zwicky brought in head of company s research department. haley replaced von kármán aerojet chairman , imposed payroll cuts instead of reducing jato output; alternative cut staff numbers while maintaining more generous salaries, haley s priority aerojet s contribution war effort. company heads including parsons exempted austerity, drawing ire of many personnel.

parsons newfound credentials , financial security gave him opportunity travel more throughout u.s. ambassador aerojet, meeting other rocket enthusiasts. in new york met karl germer, head of o.t.o. in north america , in washington, d.c. met poet laureate joseph auslander, donating of crowley s poetry books library of congress. became regular @ mañana literary society, met in laurel canyon @ home of parsons friend robert a. heinlein , included science fiction writers including cleve cartmill, jack williamson, , anthony boucher. among parsons favorite works of fiction williamson s darker think, novelette published in fantasy magazine unknown in 1940, inspired later occult workings. boucher used parsons partial basis character of hugo chantrelle in murder mystery rocket morgue (1942).

helen went away period in june 1941, during parsons, encouraged sexually permissive attitude of o.t.o., began sexual relationship 17-year-old sister, sara. upon helen s return, sara asserted parsons new wife, , parsons himself admitted found sara more sexually attractive helen. conflicted in feelings, helen sought comfort in smith , began relationship him lasted rest of life; 4 remained friends. 2 couples, along number of other thelemites (some of whom children), moved 1003 south orange grove avenue, american craftsman-style mansion. contributed rent of $100 month , lived communally in replaced winona boulevard new base of agape lodge, maintaining allotment , slaughtering own livestock meat blood rituals. parsons decorated new room copy of stele of revealing, statue of pan, , collection of swords , daggers. converted garage , laundry room chemical laboratory , held science fiction discussion meetings in kitchen, , entertained children hunts fairies in 25-acre garden.

excerpt untitled poem published in parsons ill-fated oriflamme journal

although there arguments among commune members, parsons remained dedicated thelema. gave of salary o.t.o. while actively seeking out new members—including forman—and financially supported crowley in london through germer. parsons enthusiasm lodge began impact on professional life. appeared @ aerojet hungover , sleep-deprived late nights of lodge activities, , invited many of colleagues them, drawing ire of staff tolerated parsons occultism harmless eccentricity; known von kármán delightful screwball , observed reciting crowley s poem hymn pan in ecstatic manner compared preaching of billy graham during rocket tests—and on request @ parties great amusement. disapproved of hesitancy separate vocations; parsons became more rigorously engaged in aerojet s day-to-day business in effort resolve weariness, agape lodge came under investigation both pasadena police department , fbi. both had received allegations of black magic cult involved in sexual orgies; 1 complainant 16-year-old boy said raped lodge members, while neighbors reported ritual involving naked pregnant woman jumping through fire. after parsons explained lodge organization dedicated religious , philosophical speculation , neither agency found evidence of illegal activity , came conclusion lodge constituted no threat national security. having been long-term heavy user of alcohol , marijuana, parsons habitually used cocaine, amphetamines, peyote, mescaline, , opiates well. continued have sexual relations multiple women, including mcmurtry s fiancee claire. when parsons paid have abortion, mcmurtry angered , friendship broke down.

the jpl arroyo seco site in february 1942

crowley , germer wanted see smith removed head of agape lodge, believing had become bad influence on members. parsons , helen wrote them defend mentor germer ordered him stand down; parsons appointed temporary head of lodge. veteran lodge members disliked parsons influence, concerned encouraged excessive sexual polyandry religiously detrimental, charismatic orations @ lodge meetings assured popularity among majority of followers. parsons created thelemite journal oriflamme, in published own poetry, crowley unimpressed—particularly due parsons descriptions of drug use—and project shelved. helen gave birth smith s son in april; child named kwen lanval parsons. smith , helen left kwen two-room cabin in rainbow valley in may. concurrently in england, crowley undertook astrological analysis of smith s birth chart , came conclusion smith incarnation of god, altering estimation of him. smith remained skeptical crowley s analysis seemingly deliberately devised in parsons favor, encouraging smith step down role in agape lodge , instructing him take meditative retreat. refusing take orders germer more, smith resigned o.t.o. parsons—who remained sympathetic , friendly smith during conflict , weary of crowley s appalling egotism, bad taste, bad judgement, , pedanticism —ceased lodge activities , resigned head, withdrew resignation after receiving pacifying letter crowley.

parsons standing above jato canister @ jpl june 1943

by mid-1943 aerojet operating on budget of $650,000. same year parsons , von kármán traveled norfolk, virginia on invitation of secretary of navy frank knox consult on new jato contract u.s. navy. though jatos being mass-produced military applications, jato-propelled aircraft not keep larger, bomber planes taking off long aircraft carrier runways—which made aerojet s industry @ risk of becoming defunct. parsons demonstrated efficacy of newer jatos solve issue equipping grumman plane solid-fuel units; assisted takeoff uss charger successful, produced smoke containing noxious, yellow-colored residue. navy guaranteed parsons contract on condition residue removed; led invention of aeroplex, technology smokeless vapor trails developed @ aerojet parsons.

as u.s. became aware nazi germany had developed v-2 rocket, military—following recommendations von kármán based upon research using british intelligence—placed renewed impetus on own rocket research, reinstating qian galcit project. gave group $3 million grant develop rocket-based weapons, , group expanded , renamed jet propulsion laboratory (jpl). point navy ordering 20,000 jatos month aerojet, , in december 1944 haley negotiated company sell 51% of stock general tire , rubber company cope increased demand. aerojet s caltech-linked employees—including zwicky, malina , summerfield—would agree sale on condition parsons , forman removed company, viewing occult activities disreputable. jpl historian erik m. conway attributes parsons expulsion more practical concerns: still wanted work in same way d done in backyard, instinctive , without regard safety . parsons , forman unfazed, informing haley of prediction rocket industry become obsolete in postwar age , seeing more financial incentive in starting chain of laundromats. haley persuaded them sell stock, resulting in parsons leaving company $11,000. money bought lease 1003, had come known parsonage after him.