Alexandru N. Ciurcu (29 January 1854, Șercaia – 22 January 1922, Bucharest) was a Romanian inventor and publisher, known for his invention with the French journalist Just Buisson of a reaction engine. It used rocket propulsion and was briefly used to power a boat, demonstrated on 13 August 1886.[1] The two men envisioned that such motors would later be used for air travel.
On 16 December 1886, during a test with a new second engine for the boat at Asnières, the engine exploded.[2] Buisson and an assistant at the helm were killed. Ciurcu survived by swimming ashore, but at first was accused of murder.