The Story Behind The Super Soaker: Innovation And Legacy

For the past 30 years, kids (and more than a few adults) around the world have busted out their Super Soakers and conquered their neighborhood water gun fights. The high-power water bazooka is an impressive piece of technology in its own right, but its origin and legacy make it a piece of living history.

While the Super Soaker first hit toy store shelves in 1990, when it was known as the Power Drencher, it was actually first conceived in 1982, in the bathroom and basement of a NASA engineer named Lonnie Johnson. His story is the culmination of intelligence and ambition, as well as remarkable success in the face of systemic racism.

Johnson's Early Life and Scientific Curiosity

Born in Mobile, Alabama in 1949, Johnson was a naturally curious child. His father, who worked as a truck driver on an Army base, played a pivotal role in nurturing his interest in science and technology. He taught Johnson about electric currents and how to repair household appliances, laying the groundwork for a future inventor.

“My parents’ support was a big deal,” Johnson recounted to the Smithsonian Institute. He reminisced about his playful adventures with rockets and a significant incident where he accidentally ignited rocket fuel on the stove. Instead of scolding him, his parents encouraged his curiosity by providing a hot plate for outdoor experiments.

The Professor's Journey

Johnson earned the nickname “The Professor” among his friends due to his extensive knowledge of mechanical technology and his relentless experimentation. During his childhood, he and his friends built engines from scrap parts and modified go-karts, showcasing his inventive spirit.

By the time he reached high school, Johnson had progressed to building his own robot. In his senior year, he entered his creation, named Linex, into a science fair at the University of Alabama. Linex stood three-and-a-half feet tall, with rotating shoulders and movable limbs, impressing the judges and earning Johnson first place in a segregated environment that often overlooked his talent.

Education and Early Career

Despite the challenges he faced, Johnson graduated from Tuskegee University in 1975 with degrees in mechanical engineering and nuclear engineering. After college, he joined the Air Force, fulfilling a ROTC scholarship requirement. It was during this time that he secured his first patent for a “Digital Distance Measuring Instrument,” an early form of DVD-reading technology, which he later regretted not pursuing further.

Johnson’s career took a significant turn in 1979, when he was recruited by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This opportunity set the stage for his remarkable contributions to aerospace engineering and innovation.

Inspiration Behind the Super Soaker

While working on the historic Galileo mission to study Jupiter, Johnson had a breakthrough idea. One evening, while experimenting with a new refrigeration system, he accidentally created a powerful water stream using his bathroom sink. This moment sparked the idea for what would become the Super Soaker.

After relocating to Nebraska, Johnson continued to develop his concept in his basement, creating prototypes of the water gun. He tested his first prototype with his 7-year-old daughter, Aneka, who delighted in using it against her friends on the Air Force base.

The Long Path to Market

Despite the initial success of his prototype, Johnson faced challenges in bringing the product to market. Manufacturing the first batch of 1,000 water guns proved financially daunting, prompting a seven-year search for a production partner. This journey culminated in a chance meeting at the American International Toy Fair in New York, where he finally connected with the Philadelphia toy company Larami.

With Larami's interest, Johnson redesigned the water gun, adding a water tank made from a two-liter soda bottle. His efforts paid off when Larami launched the Power Drencher in 1990, which quickly became a hit. The following year, it was rebranded as the Super Soaker, leading to sales exceeding two million units in the summer of 1991.

The Super Soaker's Impact and Legacy

Since its launch, the Super Soaker has sold over 250 million units, generating more than $1 billion in revenue for Larami and Hasbro, the company that acquired Larami in the 1990s. In 2015, the Super Soaker was rightfully inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame, cementing its status as a beloved toy.

Beyond financial success, Johnson’s journey embodies resilience and innovation. He returned to NASA and later contributed to Hasbro's Nerf line, while also mentoring young scientists, particularly those from underrepresented communities. Johnson emphasizes the importance of diversity in technology and innovation, advocating for increased minority representation in STEM fields.

“When you look at large corporations, the minority representation is only 10 percent or so," he remarked in 2017. "We can’t maintain technology leadership in the world when we’re leaving large segments of our population on the sidelines. We need all hands on deck.”