Trying to create a new cooling system for refrigerators and air conditioners, inventor Lonnie Johnson created the mechanics for the iconic toy instead.



Lonnie grew up in a house full of brothers and sisters, where a love of rockets and robots and a passion for problem solving became the cornerstones for a career as a NASA engineer. But it was his invention of the Super Soaker water gun that made his most memorable splash with kids and adults around the world.