Tom Mueller

Tom Mueller
Born	St. Maries, Idaho
Nationality	American
Education	Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering
Alma mater	Loyola Marymount University University of Idaho
Occupation	Rocket Engineer Chief Technology Officer of Propulsion
Employer	SpaceX

Tom Mueller is an American rocket engineer and rocket engine designer. He is a founding employee of SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies Corp.), a space transport services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. He is best known for his engineering work on the TR-106, the Dragon spacecraft propulsion, and Merlin Rocket Engines. He is considered one of the world's leading spacecraft propulsion experts and holds several United States patents for propulsion technology.

Mueller was born in St. Maries, Idaho. His father was a logger and wanted Mueller to be one as well. Mueller compares his story to that of Homer Hickam, growing up in a hard-working family and going off to be an engineer instead of following in his father's footsteps. As a kid, he would build and fly Estes model rockets. He continued to experiment with rockets, even building one out of his father's oxy-acetylene welder and discovering adding water would produce more thrust.

Mueller eventually became a logger, working four summers to pay his way through school. He attended the University of Idaho where he earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. He moved to California upon graduating, turning down job offers in Idaho and Oregon. He attended a job fair upon his arrival in California and began working in satellite design and moved on to developing liquid rocket engines. Mueller went on to attend Loyola Marymount University where he obtained his master's degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1992 from the Frank R. Seaver College of Science and Engineering.

...
Wikipedia