Dr. Eric Christiansen – NESC Academy Biography

Dr. Eric Christiansen is the NASA lead for MMOD protection.  He has developed and patented low-weight and highly effective MMOD shields used on the International Space Station (ISS), inflatable modules, Stardust and other spacecraft.  He is responsible for NASA MMOD risk assessments supported by hypervelocity impact tests that determine high-risk areas of the spacecraft which are then the focus of risk reduction efforts.  He has assessed MMOD risk to Shuttle, MPCV/Orion and other NASA reentry vehicles which are covered with TPS materials.  His work lead to adopting operational techniques to reduce MMOD risk to NASA spacecraft, such as selecting low-risk attitudes/flight orientations, and using TPS inspection/repair prior to reentry to mitigate MMOD risk.  He helped develop MMOD hardened radiator panels for ISS and Shuttle.  He is currently working on technologies to integrate impact damage detection and location sensors into NASA MMOD shields, and to incorporate other functions into MMOD shields such as thermal and radiation protection.

• 1989-Present: NASA Johnson Space Center
• 1985-1989: Eagle Engineering, Inc., Houston, TX
• 1982-1985: E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Inc.

Education:

• 1979 -BS Chemical Engineering, Purdue University