Atlanta Inventor Behind the Super Soaker Focused on Saving the Environment

From a segregated childhood to NASA engineer, Dr. Lonnie Johnson is now engineering solutions for the planet.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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Dr. Lonnie Johnson, the inventor of the billion-dollar Super Soaker toy, has had a remarkable life journey. Growing up in the segregated South, he overcame adversity to become a NASA engineer and now focuses his efforts on developing renewable energy solutions to tackle global environmental challenges.

Why it matters

Johnson's story is an inspiring example of how a passion for science and innovation can lead to both commercial success and impactful work addressing critical societal issues. His shift from creating popular consumer products to developing renewable energy technology highlights the potential for inventors and entrepreneurs to make a meaningful difference on pressing global problems.

The details

As a child, Johnson was always curious and loved taking things apart to understand how they worked. Despite growing up in the segregated South, he pursued his passion for science, even building a robot that won a competition as a teenager. Johnson went on to work for NASA and the U.S. Air Force, where he developed the idea for the Super Soaker water gun while experimenting with a heat pump. The toy became a massive commercial success, but Johnson has now turned his focus to renewable energy, seeing it as the most urgent global challenge. At his company JTEC in Atlanta, he is developing technology that can convert heat directly into electricity.

  • Johnson grew up in Mobile, Alabama in the segregated South during the 1960s.
  • As a teenager in the late 1960s, Johnson built a robot and entered it into a science competition, winning first place.
  • The Super Soaker was originally called the Power Drencher and was rebranded in 1991 after a copyright conflict.
  • Today, Johnson holds more than 100 patents and is focused on developing renewable energy solutions at his company JTEC in Atlanta.

The players

Dr. Lonnie Johnson

An engineer and entrepreneur who created the billion-dollar Super Soaker toy and is now focused on developing renewable energy technology.

JTEC

Johnson's company in Atlanta, Georgia where he is developing technology to convert heat directly into electricity.

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What they’re saying

“I used to watch people on TV saying they didn't want their kids going to school with those Black people. And then understanding, of course, they were talking about me and people who look like me.”

— Dr. Lonnie Johnson

“There I was with my robot, winning first place.”

— Dr. Lonnie Johnson

“I turned and shot a stream of water across the bathroom. It was this very skinny stream—kind of like what you see now with Super Soakers—and I thought, this would be a lot of fun.”

— Dr. Lonnie Johnson

What’s next

Johnson continues to work on developing his renewable energy technology at JTEC, with the goal of bringing new solutions to market that can help address global environmental challenges.

The takeaway

Dr. Lonnie Johnson's remarkable journey from a segregated childhood to becoming a NASA engineer and the inventor of the iconic Super Soaker toy demonstrates the power of perseverance, innovation, and a commitment to using one's talents to make a positive impact on the world. His shift towards renewable energy technology underscores how successful entrepreneurs and inventors can leverage their skills to tackle pressing global issues.