Lonnie Johnson

Lonnie Johnson is an American inventor and engineer. He was born in Mobile, Alabama, in 1949. He is best known for inventing the Super Soaker water gun. He also worked as an engineer at NASA on projects including the Galileo mission to Jupiter.

Early Life

Johnson loved building things from a young age. He built a go-kart from junkyard parts as a child. He won a science fair in high school with a robot he built called Linex. He earned engineering degrees from Tuskegee University.

The Super Soaker

Johnson accidentally invented the Super Soaker while working on a heat pump project. Water shot across the room from a nozzle, and he realized it would make a great toy. The Super Soaker became one of the best-selling toys of all time. He has also worked on clean energy technology and holds over 100 patents.

Fun Facts

• The Super Soaker has earned over 1 billion dollars in sales.
• Lonnie Johnson holds over 100 patents.
• He worked on the stealth bomber program and NASA's Galileo spacecraft.

Did You Know?

Lonnie Johnson invented the Super Soaker by accident while working on a refrigeration system. When water shot across the room, he knew he had a great toy idea.