Dr. Henry Leopold Richter

Henry was a pioneer of American space exploration. At the Jet Propulsion Laboratory he was part of the team that put the first United States satellite, Explorer 1, into orbit in January 1958, and he was the first to confirm its signal from orbit. He went on to a long second career as one of the country’s most respected public-safety radio engineers and telecommunications consultants. He wrote books on space history and on the design he saw everywhere in nature, sang in church choirs for eighty years, and took up watercolors in his nineties.

He is survived by his daughter Gail Richter Jacobs and son Steven Richter, four grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild, and two nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife Beverly; his sons Norman and David; his daughter Jan Richter Saunchegrow; and his sister Elsa Benguiat.

I have a purpose in life. Henry Richter

Asked once what he would say to the world if he had one last word, Henry said he wanted people to realize that God is real, that He created them, and that He created them for a purpose worth spending a life on.

On November 21, 2026, the Radio Club of America will present Henry’s family with its Centenarian Award (Honorary) at the club’s annual banquet and awards ceremony. Henry, call sign W6VZA, had been a member since 1980 and received the club’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. As news of his passing circulated, the club heard from members who remembered his humor, guidance and encouragement.