Max Valier

Max Valier, a trailblazer in rocket technology, pursued his studies at the University of Innsbruck. With backing from automotive titan Fritz von Opel, he spearheaded the development of test vehicles propelled by powder rockets starting in 1928, envisioning them as a precursor to spacecraft. Achieving groundbreaking speeds exceeding 400 km/h on Lake Starnberg with his rocket sled in 1929, Valier was at the forefront of liquid propellant experimentation in Berlin by 1930. Tragically, his pioneering journey ended that year in an accident, marking him as the inaugural martyr of space exploration. Nevertheless, Valier's pioneering contributions continue to resonate within today's space technology. Motivated by Valier's visionary legacy, Rüdiger Nitz and Hannes Mahlknecht established Max Valier Holding in 2020, aiming to perpetuate the spirit of innovation that he epitomized.