> Wernher von Braun was a prominent German rocket scientist and a member of the Nazi Party and the SS.

> He was involved in developing the V-2 rocket for Nazi Germany during World War II.

> After the war, von Braun was brought to the U.S. through Operation Paperclip, a secret program that recruited German scientists to work for the American government.

> He became a key figure in NASA, playing a major role in developing the Saturn V rocket that sent astronauts to the moon.

> Was honoured by Hitler. He awarded von Braun the Knight’s Cross of the War Merit Cross with Swords in 1944.

> He was instrumental in NASA’s development. NASA was established in 1958 by the U.S. government. Von Braun joined soon after and led the Marshall Space Flight Centre.

> Von Braun wrote “The Mars Project” just a few years after World War II while interned in the U.S. under Operation Paperclip. At the time, he was working for the U.S. Army on missile technology. The book wasn’t a casual dream about space it was a detailed technical study outlining a realistic plan to send humans to Mars, based on mid 20th century engineering and physics. His goal? Show that interplanetary travel wasn’t science fiction. It was scientifically feasible, given enough political will and technological investment.