# Dominick J. Sanchini
Dominick J. Sanchini (also spelled Dominic in press reports) was an American mechanical engineer at [Rockwell International](https://www.edgepedia.org/rockwell-international) who led the effort that won the government contract for the space shuttle orbiters' main engines and who was elected to the National Academy of Engineering's Mechanical section in 1984.[1](https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/2231/chapter/41) • [2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-19-me-3565-story.html) He died in 1990 at age 63 after a long battle with cancer, and the Academy published a memorial tribute to him in Memorial Tributes: Volume 6 in 1993.[2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-19-me-3565-story.html) • [1](https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/2231/chapter/41)
| Key fact | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Name | Dominick J. Sanchini (Los Angeles Times spells "Dominic J. (Dom) Sanchini")[1](https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/2231/chapter/41) • [2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-19-me-3565-story.html) |
| Field | Mechanical engineering; rocket propulsion[1](https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/2231/chapter/41) |
| Employer | Rockwell International; 37 years, largely at the Rocketdyne division[2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-19-me-3565-story.html) |
| Best-known work | Led Rockwell's winning effort for the space shuttle orbiters' main engines[2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-19-me-3565-story.html) |
| NAE membership | Mechanical section, elected 1984[1](https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/2231/chapter/41) |
| Died | 1990, at his home in Thousand Oaks, age 63[2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-19-me-3565-story.html) |
| Memorial | National Academy of Engineering, Memorial Tributes: Volume 6 (1993), doi: 10.17226/2231[1](https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/2231/chapter/41) |
## Early life and education
Sanchini was a native of Raritan, New Jersey. He served in the Navy from 1944 to 1947 and later earned a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering; the Los Angeles Times obituary does not name the institution that granted the degree.[2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-19-me-3565-story.html)
## Career
Sanchini spent 37 years with Rockwell International. Until 1986 he was the second-ranking executive at Rockwell's Canoga Park-based Rocketdyne division, the rocket-engine company, and he headed Rockwell's effort to obtain the government contract to build the space shuttle orbiters' main engines.[2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-19-me-3565-story.html) He retired in August 1990 as vice president-major programs at Rockwell's El Segundo headquarters.[2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-19-me-3565-story.html)
## Research and contributions
Sanchini's engineering career is associated with large liquid-fuel rocket engines and propulsion systems. He helped develop the main engines for the space shuttle orbiters, the reusable engines that powered the orbiter during ascent.[2](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-19-me-3565-story.html) An indexed publication profile also lists earlier work on the [Saturn V](https://www.edgepedia.org/saturn-v) booster's F-1 engine, the large booster engine of the Saturn V launch vehicle, co-authored with D. E. Aldrich, and lists his research areas as rocket and propulsion systems research, spacecraft design and technology, and space exploration and technology.
## Key publications
Only an aggregated publication index covers these works; the underlying primary records were not retrieved in preparing this article.
- "The Space Shuttle Main Engine" (NASA Technical Reports Server, 1973). A technical report on the shuttle orbiter main engine; the index gives the title and year but the retrieved excerpts do not describe the report's content beyond them.
- "The future look in rocket engines," with F. M. Kirby (NASA Technical Reports Server, 1973). A forward-looking paper on rocket-engine development; the aggregator lists 3 citations, per the Exa index, an aggregator and not a primary citation source.
- "Saturn V Booster - The F-1 Engine," with D. E. Aldrich (1965, indexed in Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Scholarly Commons). A documented account of the F-1 booster engine during the Saturn V program.
## Honours and recognition
Sanchini was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1984, in the Mechanical section, while at Rockwell International Corporation.[1](https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/2231/chapter/41) The Academy published a memorial tribute, "Dominick J. Sanchini," in Memorial Tributes: Volume 6 (1993), cataloged by the [National Academies Press](https://www.edgepedia.org/national-academies-press) with the suggested citation doi: 10.17226/2231.[1](https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/2231/chapter/41)
## References
1. National Academy of Engineering. "Dominick J. Sanchini." Memorial Tributes: Volume 6 (1993). https://www.nationalacademies.org/read/2231/chapter/41
2. Los Angeles Times. "Dominic J. Sanchini, Retired Rockwell Official" (November 19, 1990). https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-19-me-3565-story.html
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Technology and the built world › Engineering and manufacturing › Engineers (biographies) › Aerospace and defense engineers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026*
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