| John V. Breakwell[1] | |
| Birth Date: | 1917 |
| Birth Place: | Switzerland |
| Citizenship: | American |
| Fields: | Control theory |
| Alma Mater: | Harvard University[2] |
| Awards: | Richard E. Bellman Control Heritage Award (1983) |
John Valentine Breakwell (1917 – April 16, 1991) was a noted American control theorist and a Professor of Astronautics at Stanford University. He is remembered for his contributions to the "science and applications of astrodynamics, for discovery of flight-trajectory optimization, and for outstanding academic service." He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1981 and a recipient of the Richard E. Bellman Control Heritage Award in 1983.[3]