Frank W. Lehan

Frank Welborn Lehan (January 26, 1923 – December 4, 1997) was an American electrical engineer and government official who played a key role in the development of Cold War-era rocket telemetry, secure communications, and the U.S. satellite reconnaissance program. Over a four-decade career, Lehan worked on the development of the MGM-5 Corporal missile at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, co-founded and led several aerospace companies, and served as Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology in the United States Department of Transportation. He was a member of the President's Science Advisory Committee and played an instrumental role in the founding of the National Reconnaissance Office. His inventions included foundational systems for orbital signals intelligence and satellite-based search and rescue. Lehan was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1970 for his innovations in telemetry and secure communications.

Early life and education Born in 1923, Lehan was the son of Frank Lehan, a California attorney, and Mabel Lehan.