Dr. Robert D. Braun
Associate
Professor
David and Andrew
Lewis Professor of Space Technology
Guggenheim School
Georgia Institute of
Technology
Montgomery Knight Aerospace
Building
(404) 385-6171
(404) 894-2760 fax
robert.braun@ae.gatech.edu
Dr. Braun is an Associate
Professor in the Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering at the Georgia
Institute of Technology. As Director of Georgia Tech’s Space Systems Design Laboratory,
he leads a research and education program focused on the design of advanced
flight systems and technologies for planetary exploration. He is responsible
for undergraduate and graduate level instruction in the areas of space systems
design, astrodynamics and atmospheric entry. In addition to a graduate research
program focused on planetary exploration, Dr. Braun provides consulting
services in the areas of space systems engineering and analysis, planetary
entry and Mars atmospheric flight. He has provided independent
analysis and review services for the Mars Odyssey, Mars Exploration Rover,
Genesis, Phoenix Mars Scout, Mars Science Laboratory, and Orion Crew
Exploration Vehicle flight projects.
Prior to joining the Georgia Tech faculty in 2003, Dr. Braun worked for
sixteen years at the NASA Langley Research
Center. While at NASA, he contributed to the design and flight operations
of the Mars
Pathfinder and Mars Microprobe
flight projects, performing analyses pertaining to Mars entry, descent and
landing. Dr. Braun was responsible for Earth Entry Vehicle technology and
flight system development efforts for the Mars Sample Return
project from 1999-2000. From 2001-2003, Dr. Braun served as the Mission
Architect for the Aerial
Regional-scale Environmental Survey (ARES) Mars Scout mission. In this
capacity, he was responsible for balancing science, implementation risk and
cost across the mission architecture and managing ARES Mars airplane technology
development, including the successful ground-based and high-altitude
flight test program. Dr. Braun was a member of the Aircraft Design Group at Stanford University
Dr. Braun is an AIAA Fellow and the author or
co-author of more than more than 150 technical publications in the fields of
atmospheric flight dynamics, planetary exploration systems, multidisciplinary
design optimization and systems engineering. He is a member of the Planetary Society and the American Astronautical Society. From 2003 to 2006, Dr. Braun served as
an AIAA Distinguished Lecturer giving 12 lectures on planetary exploration
across the country. From 2004 to 2006, he served on the NASA Planetary
Protection Advisory Council, AIAA Multidisciplinary Design Optimization
Technical Committee, and co-chaired road-mapping efforts focused on development
of an integrated robotic and human exploration development plan. In 2006, Dr.
Braun began service on the JPL Advisory Council, the Mars Program Systems
Engineering Team, and the NASA Chief Engineer’s Management Operations Working
Group. He served as a member of the AIAA Space Systems Technical Committee from
2006 to 2008. In 2008, he began service on the Advisory Councils of the
Aerospace Engineering Department at the Pennsylvania State University and the
Space Systems Department of the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory.
Biographical
Information:
One-page bio
Research
Program:
Current students
and research projects
Space Systems Design Laboratory