Christian Vatsaas Bio

It was a proud day on January 10, 2005 -- the day that our Dad asked to be numbered among the esteemed members of Rocket Team Vatsaas. It was our dad who got us started in rocketry, then swiftly stepped backward to avoid being hit by falling debris.

Dad was born near Shanghai, China in 1928 to missionary parents. Our grandmother, Sigrid, left China with her four children after the death of our grandfather, Kristian, returning to Norway in 1933. Dad grew up on the scenic banks of Olso Fjord and remained there through the Nazi occupation. He emigrated to America at the age of nineteen and was promptly drafted into the US Army and sent to Korea. When he returned home he became a US citizen, met and married our mother, and began populating the planet with a new generation of rocket scientists.

Dad also spent thirty-six years teaching industrial arts to junior high school students, which constitutes more exposure to pubescent angst than one man should be required to bear.

Dad has always been extremely handy, and his knowledge of construction, tools, materials, and first aid have been invaluable during his sons' rocketry experimentation.

Upon retirement, Dad quickly involved himself in amatuer radio. He's been hinting for some time that he would like to use our rockets as some kind of aerial radio platform....