James Elwyn Johnston, MS Met 70, of Athens, Ala., on Nov. 20. Johnston was an engineer with a prolific career that helped shape America’s space program. He worked for the Army Missile Command in Huntsville, Ala., from 1959-1963 before transferring to NASA, where he worked for the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center until his retirement in 2005. He started his NASA career as a materials engineer supporting the Saturn rocket program. More recently, Johnston served as the Materials and Processes Laboratory lead engineer for the solid rocket motor, redesigned solid rocket motor and advanced solid rocket motor. During his career at NASA, he was a vital link for materials excellence for the safe flight of past programs such as Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and the Space Shuttle. Johnston was honored with the Astronauts’ Personal Achievement Award, known as Silver Snoopy Award, for professionalism, dedication and outstanding support that greatly enhanced space flight safety and mission success. Johnston was described as a Christian gentleman who was sincere, caring, dependable, honest and courteous. As a member of First Baptist Church in Huntsville, Johnston served as a church deacon, Sunday school teacher, Christian training teacher and outreach leader.
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