Biography
Mr. Michael J. Patterson is a Senior Scientist/Technologist in the Research and Technology Directorate at NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland (Ohio). In this position, Mr. Patterson has a lead role in propulsion research and development activities, and serves as the senior technical expert for in-space propulsion at Glenn Research Center (GRC).
Mr. Patterson is a national and internationally recognized authority in In-Space Propulsion, and assists the Center’s efforts in evaluating and prioritizing technologies for future investment, synthesizes propulsion research and development strategies, and participates in formulation of architectures, technology requirements, concept trade studies, and other formulation activities. Mr. Patterson also participates in the resolution of propulsion technical issues that are elevated in the technical authority process.
NEXT Engineering Model Ion Thrusters operating at full power in a 3+1 Multi-Thruster Array Test bed at NASA GRC.
He also consults other NASA organizations in the development of necessary supporting technologies, such as high-performance materials, in-situ propellant production and storage, power collection, storage and processing, mission performance analysis, propulsion/spacecraft integration, and transportation architectural assessments, and advises Center senior management on interdisciplinary research and technology programs within industry, academia and other government laboratories.
Mr. Patterson began his NASA career during his junior year of college as an intern at the NASA Lewis Research Center (LeRC) in the field of electric propulsion. His work began in proving ion propulsion as a credible and reliable means of propulsion. Subsequently at NASA Mr. Patterson developed 30 cm xenon ion thruster technology, designed the engineering model thruster for the NSTAR program, and designed and supervised the assembly of the Deep-Space 1 flight ion thruster.
Mr. Patterson also led a team of engineers to develop the design solution for the International Space Station electrical charging problem, and manufactured the flight hardware. He contributed to original solar array plasma interactions test which identified charging problem, by generating a simulated space plasma environment. He identified a potential design solution; hollow cathode plasma source as a plasma contactor, and initiated and conducted a development program to bring xenon hollow cathode technology from low technology readiness to flight-status. He subsequently developed the design for the Space Station cathode, supervised manufactured the flight cathodes in-house at NASA GRC, defined all mechanical, electrical, and fluid interfaces to the hollow cathode for the plasma contactor system, and defined and supervised plasma contactor flight hardware acceptance testing at NASA GRC.
Blue beam of Xenon ions are seen being ejected from an ion engine at approximately 70 km/second.
Mr. Patterson was also the first to have successfully established large-scale ground-based space plasma environmental conditions in a vacuum chamber, and he did so using hollow cathode technology that he developed (1987-1990, NASA Plumbrook Facility B-2 and SPF vacuum facilities). This capability was critically needed to address design issues and potential interactions of high-power and pulsed-power spacecraft systems with the space plasma environment prior to launch and on-orbit operations [Space Power Experiments Aboard Rockets (SPEAR) I and II missions for the Defense Nuclear Agency]. This capability has subsequently been applied to simulate on-orbit environments for ground testing of space flight hardware for several DoD and NASA missions both at NASA and other locations.
Previously Mr. Patterson developed the rectangular HiPEP DC ion thruster for Project Prometheus, and was agency lead for the electric propulsion thruster for Project Prometheus. He has developed multiple electric propulsion thruster designs from concept to laboratory model, engineering model, protoflight, and flight levels for a variety of mission applications and requirements, and successfully resolved the attendant technical issues associated with their development. This hardware includes 8 cm and 20 cm thrusters for small spacecraft powered by Stirling radioisotope power systems; 30 cm and 40 cm ion thrusters to flight and protoflight levels for deep space planetary applications powered by solar arrays; and large-area ion thrusters for deep space applications powered by nuclear reactor power sources. During this timeframe Mr. Patterson led the ion propulsion development program funded under the Cross-Cutting Technology Enterprise Program. The program was reviewed multiple times by committees from the National Research Council and each time the research program was rated as Excellent.
Mr. Patterson has also supported integration of the bi-propellant chemical thruster system used for roll-control on the Ares I-X mission for Constellation, and was a member of the Tether Applications in Space agency-wide working group funded to develop plasma contactor technology for use on electro-dynamic tethers for propulsion and power generation
Current Research
Presently Mr. Patterson is Principal Investigator for the In-Space NEXT ion propulsion system (IPS) development and, as such, is responsible for all hardware development activities and overall technical direction of the NEXT project. Mr. Patterson has been instrumental in developing numerous partnerships in electric propulsion (USAF/Wright-Patterson AFB, Boeing Satellite Systems, The Aerospace Corporation, etc.) and he was a key part of the Dawn mission ion propulsion system hardware review prior to launch.
He continues his work in electric propulsion with focus on flight application of the NEXT ion propulsion system, and the development of high power electric thrusters and systems in support of NASA deep space missions and Earth-orbital applications of this technology for missions in the national interest.
Mr. Patterson has published over 130 papers in the areas of spacecraft propulsion, mission analyses, and plasma contactor technology.
Mr. Patterson has received eight (8) patents for cathode, plasma source, and thruster technology.
Education
- B.A. Physics Wabash College 1982
- M.S. Physics Colorado State University 1985
Technical Memberships/Professional Affiliations
Mr. Patterson has chaired sessions at more than 12 international conferences, and served as an officer of the AIAA Electric Propulsion Technical Committee for four years.
Honors/Awards
- Recipient of an “MVP Award” For Outstanding Service in support of the Ares-IX Development Flight Test Program [2008]
- Recipient of the “NASA’s Government Invention of the Year” – For Invention of Cathode Technology for the International Space Station [2002]
- Recipient of The Astronauts’ Personal Achievement Award – “Silver Snoopy” – For development of the ISS Plasma Contactor Unit [2001]
- Turning Goals Into Reality 2001 TGIR Award Recipient – For Outstanding Accomplishments toward the Advanced Space Transportation Goal –presented to the Deep Space 1 Ion Engine and SCARLET PV Array Development Team [2001]
- NASA Space Flight Awareness Honoree – For significant contributions to the Space Station by increasing safety and reliability [2001]
- Recipient of a Space Laurel Award from “Aviation Week & Space Technology” – For the NSTAR Deep-Space 1 Ion Thruster [1998]
- Recipient of the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal – For the development and delivery of cathode technology for key NASA missions [1998]
- Recipient of the Steven V. Szabo Award for Excellence in Engineering – For identification and implementation of a solution to the Space Station power system interaction with the space plasma [1995]
- Recipient of the NASA GRC Quality Assurance Special Achievement Recognition (QASAR) Award – For identification and resolution of the hardware failure during acceptance testing of the International Space Station plasma contactor system [2000]
- Recipient of an Achievement Award for Science – Honorable Mention, by Northern Ohio LIVE Magazine [1999]
- Recipient of a Recognition Award from the Student Programs Office – “For Years of Service to NASA Lewis’ Internship Program” [1998]
