San Diego Space Society

Jim Benson, 1945 – 2008

Posted by Chris Radcliff in News on October 16, 2008

The world lost San Diegan entrepreneur and space enthusiast James Benson last week. Benson was the founder of Poway-based SpaceDev, which developed the hybrid rocket motor used by SpaceShipOne, and Benson Space Company, which focused on commercial space tourism.

From the SpaceDev release:

Benson was diagnosed in 2007 with a glioblastoma multiforme brain tumor, the cause of his death early this morning. Mr. Benson had resigned from an operational role in SpaceDev in September 2006. He retained a seat on the Board of Directors of SpaceDev where he had continued to support the Company that he founded in 1997.

Prior to founding SpaceDev, Mr. Benson spent thirty years associated with the computer field, spanning the era from the introduction of modern mainframe computers, to the dominance of the computer industry by microcomputers. Mr. Benson invented modern full text computer indexing and searching in 1984, and exploited the new field through companies he founded; Compusearch and ImageFast of McLean, Virginia.

After his successful career as a computer industry entrepreneur, Mr. Benson decided to take on the challenge of starting an innovative space commercialization venture because it combined his lifelong interests in science, technology and astronomy with his successful business experience. SpaceDev was the result.

In addition to his roles in SpaceDev and Benson Space, Benson had been a member of the Board of Directors of the California Space Authority. He founded the non-profit Space Development Institute, and introduced the Benson Prize for Amateur Discovery of Near Earth Objects.

We offer our condolences to Mr. Benson’s family, friends, and colleagues.