Dates

• Existence: 1922 September 25 - 2006 January 16

Biography

Ellis Levin was an engineer with the Boeing Company from 1942 to 1996, where he worked on a variety of projects such as the Vibration Unit and Physical Research Unit, as well as the X-20 Dyan-Soar and Lunar Orbiter space programs.

Ellis Levin was born in New Orleans, Louisiana on September 25, 1922 to Gustave Levin and Annie P. Levin. Levin attended Tulane University in New Orleans from 1938 to 1942, where he received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

Upon receiving his degree in 1942, Levin moved to Seattle, Washington to work for the Boeing Company. His first role within the company was as a researcher and engineer for the Vibration Unit where he conducted tests on the measurement of vibration and strain in aircraft, especially related to the B-17. During this period, Levin continued his education within the engineering field. He attended the University of Washington for engineering science and war management, and received a certificate for Fundamentals of Aerodynamics in 1944. In 1945, he received a certificate in Fundamentals of Pilot Training from Seattle University.

Following his success with the Vibration Unit and with his newly acquired certifications, Levin transferred to the Physical Research Unit within Boeing, where he continued work as an engineer. He began implementing projects related to Boeing’s missile programs, such as the Bomarc missile. In addition, he took a position as an Administrative Assistant to the Chief of Technical Staff, assisting him in management and planning for the Technical Staff role in Boeing’s B-52, 707, and 110-A programs.

From August 1958 to June 1963, Levin worked within the X-20 Systems Growth Section, Advanced Planning and Program Performance Assessment Aero-Space Division, Dyna-Soar Electronics Integration and System Integration Staff. Levin was responsible for technical integration of the electronic system in the overall Dyna-Soar program. In 1960, he became responsible for program direction comparative systems analysis and providing program direction for the military and scientific subsystems portion of the program. Starting in 1963, Levin began work on Boeing’s Lunar Orbiter Project as a systems engineering manager. He was closely associated with mission design and flight data of the Lunar Orbiter missions and remained on the project until 1968. He co-authored an article on the Lunar Orbiter Missions to the Moon which was published in Scientific American in 1968, and later reprinted in the book Frontiers in Astronomy. He concluded his career with Boeing in the Computer Service Division up until his retirement in 1996.

In addition to his work with Boeing, Levin was the first chairman of the electronics technical group of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers Seattle Chapter, an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a Life Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He was also active in the Jewish community in Seattle.

Levin and Annette Moscatel were married in Seattle on February 1, 1959. They had three children.

Ellis Levin passed away on January 16, 2006 in Seattle, Washington.

Biographical note derived from donor information and records on Ancestry.com.

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