Eugene Schwanbeck

Contact: eugene.r.schwanbeck@nasa.gov

As a Program Element Manager in NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate’s Game Changing Development (GCD) program at the agency’s Langley Research Center, Mr. Schwanbeck is responsible for a portfolio of robotics, autonomy, and avionics projects such as IPEx, CADRE, and HPSC that advance space technologies that may lead to entirely new approaches for future space missions.  GCD collaborates with academia, industry, and other government agencies to progress the most promising technologies through analytical modeling, ground-based testing and spaceflight demonstration.  Efforts are focused on the mid Technology Readiness Level (TRL) range, generally taking technologies from initial lab concepts to a complete engineering development prototype and ensuring that discoveries move rapidly from the laboratory to practical applications.

Prior to joining the GCD, Eugene worked in the Propulsion and Power Division in NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) Engineering Directorate. He managed the Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration Rover (VIPER) Electrical Power system and oversaw the development of a complete power generation, storage, and distribution system for the lunar rover.  He was uniquely qualified for this roll after managing the International Space Station (ISS) Li-Ion Battery project and the ISS Power Augmentation project developing both the batteries that power the entire space station and the Roll out Solar Arrays (ROSAs) that charge them.  He excels at managing special projects and leading focused multidisciplinary teams to address the crosscutting technical challenges of developing complex spaceflight systems.

Eugene started at Johnson Space Center as a contractor in 1998, working in the Mission Operations Directorate as a flight controller and operations lead.  He joined NASA in 2007 in the ISS Program Office as a Launch Package Integration Manager.  He has held progressively responsible leadership positions including Electrical Power System Flight Controller and Group Administrator, Houston Support Group Operations Lead, Autonomous Transfer Vehicle Visiting Vehicle Lead and ISS Li-Ion Battery Project Manager.  He served as the Technical Assistant for Integration of the Future Capabilities Definition Team (now the Gateway Program under Artemis), the International Deep Space Interoperability Standards Lead and the ISS Power Augmentation Project Manager.  He contributed to and edited a recently published textbook on spacecraft Li-ion battery power systems and is a mentor to several NASA personnel.