High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Ernst Stuhlinger (December 19, 1913 Niederrimbach, Germany – May 25, 2008) was a German-born American atomic, electrical, and rocket scientist. After being brought to the United States as part of Operation Paperclip, he developed guidance systems with Wernher von Braun`s team for the US Army, and later was a scientist with NASA. He was also instrumental in the development of the ion engine for long-endurance space flight, and a wide variety of scientific experiments.