American Artist 1888-1986

Astronautics is unique among the sciences in that it owes so much of its existence to literature and art. On the one hand was the seminal influence of Jules Verne (1828-1905); on the other, the work of artist Chesley Bonestell, who inspired an entire generation of astronomers and space scientists and may have been instrumental in jump-starting the American space program.

Born in San Francisco on New Year's Day, 1888, Bonestell studied architecture at Columbia University in New York before dropping out to work as a designer and architectural renderer for several New York and California architectural firms. During this period, Bonestell made significant contributions to the design of American icons such as the Chrysler Building and the Golden Gate Bridge. After a stint as an illustrator in London, Bonestell returned to the United States, moving to Hollywood in the late 1930s as a...