Presented By: Aerospace Engineering
Chair's Distinguished Lecture: Space Nuclear Propulsion for Crewed Missions to Mars: Its Potential and its Challenges
Dr. Roger M. Myers
R Myers Consulting, LLC
Executive Director, In-Space Programs
Aerojet Rocketdyne (ret.)
Human missions to Mars are extraordinarily challenging due to the planetary orbits, mission environments, and durations. While several options for in-space transportation are feasible, space nuclear propulsion provides a high-performance option to address these challenges and enable faster, safer, more capable, and more frequent crewed missions to Mars. Following an overview of the mission challenges and in-space transportation options and trades, the potential benefits as well as the real science, engineering and development challenges for both Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) and Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) are reviewed along with a summary of current work and plans in the field.
About the speaker...
Dr. Roger Myers has worked on in-space transportation technology for over 30 years, and currently advises multiple clients on space mission design, propulsion system technology and flight system development. In 1996, after 9 years at NASA’s GRC, he joined Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Redmond Operations, the world’s leading developer of spacecraft propulsion systems, where he held several executive positions including General Manager and Executive Director, Advanced In-Space Programs until 2016, when he retired to consult. He has worked on dozens of successful commercial, civil and defense space missions and R&D programs in chemical, electric and nuclear propulsion and space power technology and has over 100 publications. He recently co-Chaired the National Academy Committee on Space Nuclear Propulsion for Human Mars Exploration. Dr. Myers was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2022, is an AIAA Fellow and President of the Washington State Academy of Sciences (WSAS). He was awarded the AIAA Wyld Propulsion Award in 2014 and the Electric Rocket Propulsion Society (ERPS) Stuhlinger Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Electric Propulsion in 2017. He is Board Chair for Washington’s Joint Center for Aerospace Technology Innovation, Past-President of the ERPS, a Trustee at Seattle’s Museum of Flight and a member of the University of Washington’s A&A Visiting Committee.
Dr. Myers earned his PhD from Princeton University and a BSAE from the University of Michigan.
https://umich.zoom.us/j/93096785925; Passcode: AE585
R Myers Consulting, LLC
Executive Director, In-Space Programs
Aerojet Rocketdyne (ret.)
Human missions to Mars are extraordinarily challenging due to the planetary orbits, mission environments, and durations. While several options for in-space transportation are feasible, space nuclear propulsion provides a high-performance option to address these challenges and enable faster, safer, more capable, and more frequent crewed missions to Mars. Following an overview of the mission challenges and in-space transportation options and trades, the potential benefits as well as the real science, engineering and development challenges for both Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) and Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) are reviewed along with a summary of current work and plans in the field.
About the speaker...
Dr. Roger Myers has worked on in-space transportation technology for over 30 years, and currently advises multiple clients on space mission design, propulsion system technology and flight system development. In 1996, after 9 years at NASA’s GRC, he joined Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Redmond Operations, the world’s leading developer of spacecraft propulsion systems, where he held several executive positions including General Manager and Executive Director, Advanced In-Space Programs until 2016, when he retired to consult. He has worked on dozens of successful commercial, civil and defense space missions and R&D programs in chemical, electric and nuclear propulsion and space power technology and has over 100 publications. He recently co-Chaired the National Academy Committee on Space Nuclear Propulsion for Human Mars Exploration. Dr. Myers was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2022, is an AIAA Fellow and President of the Washington State Academy of Sciences (WSAS). He was awarded the AIAA Wyld Propulsion Award in 2014 and the Electric Rocket Propulsion Society (ERPS) Stuhlinger Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Electric Propulsion in 2017. He is Board Chair for Washington’s Joint Center for Aerospace Technology Innovation, Past-President of the ERPS, a Trustee at Seattle’s Museum of Flight and a member of the University of Washington’s A&A Visiting Committee.
Dr. Myers earned his PhD from Princeton University and a BSAE from the University of Michigan.
https://umich.zoom.us/j/93096785925; Passcode: AE585
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