___ Johnson, inventor of the Super Soaker

LONNIE

This NASA engineer and former Air Force officer also developed a heat pump that later became key in refrigeration systems. His most famous toy invention was inspired by a high-pressure water gun prototype.

This clue is asking for the first name of Lonnie Johnson, the engineer and inventor best known for creating the Super Soaker water gun. The blank before "Johnson" signals you need a first name, and since "Lonnie" fits both the letter count and the real-life figure, it’s the correct answer. If you’ve ever played with a Super Soaker, you’ve used his invention—though he’s also worked on NASA projects and other tech.