Tribute to Dr. Richard A. Marshall

Dr. Richard Marshall died at his home in Austin, Texas, in August 2012. Dr. Marshall was a pioneer in developing the science and technology of electromagnetic railguns. His seminal research at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, Australia set a world record in launching an intact projectile to almost 6 km/sec, was the first demonstration of achieving hypervelocities by any type of electromagnetic launcher and laid the groundwork for a broad range of research in pulsed electromagnetic power and hypervelocity physics. Dick had broad and eclectic scientific interests but he was a focused, driven practical engineer who wanted more than anything else for his ideas to be understood and implemented for the benefit of mankind.