Cheng, a professor for 41 years who published more than 100 journal articles in his career, was a leader in understanding the flight of space rockets as the United States raced the Soviet Union into space.
He also worked on early plans for intercontinental ballistic missiles, ways to reduce sonic booms during supersonic travel and liquid propellent rocket engines during the Cold War.
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Cheng is survived by his wife, three children, seven grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
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