Presentation and Discussion with NASA Chief Technologist Robert Braun

Braun has over 20 years experience in the design and analysis of planetary exploration systems as a member of the technical staff at NASA's Langley Research Center and the Georgia Institute of Technology. His research has focused on systems' aspects of planetary exploration, where he contributed to the design, development, test and operation of robotic space flight systems.

Braun was a member of the Mars Pathfinder design and landing operations team from 1992 to 1997 and has been part of development teams for the Mars Microprobe, Mars Sample Return and Mars Surveyor 2001 projects. He also has provided independent assessment and served on NASA review boards for the Mars Polar Lander, Mars Odyssey, Mars Exploration Rover, Phoenix Mars Scout, Genesis, and Mars Science Laboratory flight projects.

Braun has served as an AIAA Distinguished Lecturer, on the NASA Planetary Protection Advisory Council, and the AIAA Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Technical Committee, and co-chaired road-mapping efforts focused on development of an integrated robotic and human exploration development plan. He began service on NASA's JPL Advisory Council in 2006. In 2008, he began service on Advisory Councils of the Aerospace Engineering Department at the

Pennsylvania State University and the Space Systems Department of the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory. In 2009, he was appointed associate editor for the AIAA Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets and began service on the Advisory Council of The Planetary Society.

Braun received a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Penn State in 1987, M.S. in Astronautics from the George Washington University in 1989, and Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University in 1996. He has received the 1999 AIAA Lawrence Sperry Award, two NASA Exceptional Achievement Medals, two NASA Inventions and Contributions Team Awards, and seven NASA Group Achievement Awards. He is an AIAA Fellow and the principle author or co-author of over 175 technical publications.

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