Shelby B. Jacobs played a pivotal role in the development of technology that would bring humanity to the Moon.
OCEANSIDE, CA, February 10, 2022 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Shelby B. Jacobs has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
With more than 40 years of experience in the field of aerospace engineering to his credit, Mr. Jacobs retired from his role as an executive-level project manager at Rockwell International in 1996, having played a pivotal role in the development of technology that would bring humanity to the Moon. His story began at the University of California Los Angeles, where he studied mechanical engineering having demonstrated a proficiency in mathematics and science throughout the early 1950s. Initially hired as a draftsman by Rocketdyne (1956) a division of North American Aviation which later became Rockwell, Mr. Jacobs was notably one of only eight Black men out of the aforementioned company's 5,000 engineers. Mr. Jacobs worked on behalf of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) designing the rocket engines and propulsion systems that would support the Apollo program. He accepted a transfer to Rockwell International Space Division Downey, California in the early 1960s. In 1965, he was tasked with modifying a camera ejection system to be compatible for installation on the aft thrust structure of the S-II (second stage) that would film the interstage separation of the Apollo 6 rocket launch on April 4, 1968 (same day as MLK Assassination). Though some of the cameras (2 each on 2 separate flights) were destroyed, the mission was a success and several groundbreaking photos (the Earth's curvature) were captured during the launch.
Following his work with the Apollo program, Mr. Jacobs served as a Project Engineer on the Space Shuttle program, overseeing the Engineering Design Team of the space shuttle's main engine and umbilical systems. For his efforts in this capacity, he was promoted to the executive level and remained at the Orbiter Program Office 1981 until his retirement in 1996. To commemorate his accomplishments, he has received numerous recognitions for his work, most notably including a 2019 exhibit at the Columbia Memorial Space Center in Downey, California. Mr. Jacobs was also lauded by NASA with an award for his camera system activities in 1968 and received honors from the U.S. House of Representatives.
As dedicated to the cause of justice as he was to science, Mr. Jacobs personally contributed to the Civil Rights Movement in the summer of 1965, during which time he spent two weeks in the Deep South registering Black voters. He had drawn inspiration from the speeches of Martin Luther King Jr., who was murdered on the same day the camera system he adapted was flown on Apollo 6. A tireless champion of equality, Mr. Jacobs also belonged to a Black employees association at Rockwell, and frequently encouraged his fellow African Americans to not accept the limited roles to which they were assigned, regardless of their gender.
In accounting for his success, Mr. Jacobs credits his faith and unmitigated self-confidence. Despite encountering numerous obstacles and prejudices during the course of his career, he always believed in himself, and never hesitated to collaborate with others, a team player in the pursuit of common goals. Looking toward the future, Mr. Jacobs aspires to continue making a difference in the lives of others, and serve as a role model for those hoping to emulate his accomplishments – particularly young women.
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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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