George Economou (scientist)

George Aristotle Economou (June 24, 1923 – April 2, 2003) was an American optical systems expert, who helped set up special cameras to photograph and study the first test of the atomic bomb in 1945.

He was instrumental in the development of the atomic bomb at Los Alamos, working on the Manhattan Project under scientific director Robert Oppenheimer.

After studying astronomy and astrophysics at Harvard University, his career began at the Polaroid Corporation.

In 1944, he joined the United States Army and was assigned to Los Alamos, New Mexico, where he helped conceptualize camera lenses used to photograph bomb tests.

[1][2] Economou officially retired in 1990 as Group Vice President, Optical Instruments for the Contraves Goerz Corporation in O'Hara Township, Pennsylvania, but continued to work on some of the industry's more high-profile projects, such as consulting for design and construction of the Large Millimeter Telescope.