Ivan Getting

Ivan Getting
Name	Ivan Getting
Birth date	1912-09-26
Birth place	New York City, New York, United States
Death date	2003-06-05
Death place	Arlington County, Virginia, United States
Nationality	American
Fields	Electrical engineering, physics
Workplaces	Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bell Laboratories, Raytheon, The Aerospace Corporation, MIT Radiation Laboratory, Univac
Alma mater	Columbia University, Georgetown University
Known for	Development of Global Positioning System, contributions to radar, missile guidance

Ivan Getting Ivan Getting (September 26, 1912 – June 5, 2003) was an American physicist and electrical engineer noted for pioneering work in radar, missile guidance, and the creation of the modern Global Positioning System. He held leadership and technical positions at Bell Laboratories, the MIT Radiation Laboratory, Raytheon, and was the first president of The Aerospace Corporation, influencing U.S. Department of Defense acquisition and aerospace systems. Getting combined academic training from Columbia University and professional roles with industrial partners to bridge research, development, and national security applications.

Early life and education

Getting was born in New York City and grew up in a family linked to engineering and business in the early 20th century. He attended preparatory schools before matriculating at Columbia University where he studied physics and electrical engineering, later earning advanced degrees and conducting research that connected to contemporary work at Bell Laboratories and the burgeoning MIT Radiation Laboratory. During his formative years he interacted with figures from industrial and scientific communities such as engineers associated with Western Electric, researchers at General Electric, and academics from Harvard University and Princeton University.

Career

Getting began his professional career at Bell Laboratories, moving into wartime research at the MIT Radiation Laboratory where he worked on microwave and detection systems relevant to World War II operations like the Battle of the Atlantic. After the war he served in roles at Raytheon and collaborated with companies including United Technologies and General Dynamics on weapons and guidance projects. In 1960 he became the first president of The Aerospace Corporation, advising organizations such as the United States Air Force, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Lincoln Laboratory, and contractors like Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman on systems engineering and program management.

Contributions to radar and missile guidance

At the MIT Radiation Laboratory, Getting contributed to microwave radar developments that supported Allied operations involving the Royal Air Force and United States Navy. He worked on receiver sensitivity and antenna systems used in aircraft and shipboard installations that interfaced with navigation from installations like the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and tests at White Sands Missile Range. In postwar work he applied that expertise to inertial and radio-based guidance systems for tactical and strategic missiles tied to programs run by the United States Air Force and research institutions such as Applied Physics Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories.

Development of GPS and later work

Getting is best known for conceptual leadership in creating a satellite-based navigation system that would evolve into the Global Positioning System. While serving in advisory and executive capacities with The Aerospace Corporation and consulting to the Department of Defense, he promoted integration of space-based timing and ranging concepts developed by researchers at MIT, Stanford University, and JPL into a practical constellation combining satellites from programs like Navstar with ground segments managed by the USAF. His advocacy and technical input linked contractors such as TRW and Boeing with scientists at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory to finalize system architectures. Later in his career Getting continued to influence aerospace policy, advising organizations including the National Academy of Engineering and participating in panels alongside members from RAND Corporation and Brookings Institution.

Awards and honors

Getting received numerous recognitions from professional bodies such as the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and governmental awards from the Department of Defense and the Presidential Medal of Freedom-era advisory circles. He was honored with medals and fellowships from institutions including Columbia University, Georgetown University, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and the National Medal of Science-level peer groups, reflecting contributions linking radar and space-based navigation. Professional societies like IEEE and the Royal Aeronautical Society acknowledged his impact on systems engineering and national security technology.

Personal life and legacy

Getting married and raised a family while maintaining active engagement with academic and industrial partners including MIT, Columbia University, and Bell Laboratories. He left a legacy through the operational deployment of the Global Positioning System, institutional frameworks at The Aerospace Corporation, and mentorship of engineers who joined organizations such as Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, and Raytheon Technologies. His work remains cited in histories of radar, space navigation, and systems engineering, and his influence persists in programs overseen by agencies like NASA and the United States Air Force.

Category:American electrical engineers Category:People associated with radar Category:Global Positioning System