28:
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At
Georgia Tech, Spencer founded the Center for Space Systems, and was the Co-Director of the Space Systems Design Laboratory, a multi-disciplinary research and educational organization dedicated to the design, development and operations of advanced space systems and technologies. He initiated a
206:
spacecraft, leading the mission design and system engineering of the solar sail demonstration project. LightSail 1 was launched on May 20, 2015. Spencer led the team through a successful solar sail deployment almost a month later, before LightSail 1 reentered Earth's atmosphere. Spencer is the
214:
Spencer returned to JPL in 2020 to become the
Mission System Manager for the Mars Sample Return Campaign, with the objective to return a geologically diverse set of Mars samples for Earth-based laboratory analysis. The Mars Sample Return Campaign is a joint effort between the
389:
Arvidson, R.; Adams, D. Bonfiglio; Christensen, P.; Cull, S.; Golombek, M.; Guinn, J.; Guinness, E.; Heet, T.; Kirk, R.; Knudson, A.; Malin, M.; Mellon, M.; McEwen, A.; Mushkin, A.; Parker, T.; Seelos, F.; Seelos, K.; Smith, P.; Spencer, D.; Stein, T.; Tamppari, L (2008).
195:, where he conducted research on small satellite applications, proximity operations, and aeroassist technologies. He led the Purdue Engineering Initiative on cislunar space, with the goal of expanding the orbital economy to encompass the cislunar environment.
191:
small satellite program at
Georgia Tech, establishing facilities for satellite fabrication, testing, tracking and operations. Spencer transitioned from Georgia Tech in 2016 to join the faculty of the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at
211:, launched in 2019. LightSail 2 was deployed into orbit by the Prox-1 spacecraft developed by Spencer and students at Georgia Tech. LightSail 2 successfully demonstrated controlled solar sailing in Earth orbit.
905:
230:, a space technology company that markets the Spinnaker product line of dragsails for the deorbit of space vehicles. Vestigo Aerospace incorporated in 2022 and has received NASA
175:, responsible for the design of the interplanetary transfer and the entry, descent and landing (EDL) trajectory. Spencer served as the mission manager for NASA's
298:
331:
Spencer, D.; Blanchard, R.; Braun, R.; Kallemeyn, P.; Peng, C-Y.; Thurman, S. (1999). "Mars
Pathfinder Entry, Descent and Landing Reconstruction".
793:
425:
Spencer, D.; Adams, D.; Arvidson, R.; Bonfiglio, E.; Golombek, M.; Seelos, K. (2009). "Phoenix
Landing Site Hazard Assessment and Selection".
187:, with a focus on EDL and surface operations. Spencer left JPL in 2008 to join the Aerospace Engineering faculty at Georgia Tech.
533:
Renevey, S.; Spencer, D.A. (2019). "Establishment and
Control of Spacecraft Formations Using Artificial Potential Functions".
890:
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Spencer, D.; Braun, R. (March–April 1997). "Mars
Pathfinder Atmospheric Entry: Trajectory Design and Dispersion Analysis".
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Lovell, T.A.; Spencer, D.A. (2014). "Relative
Orbital Elements Formulation Based Upon the Clohessy-Wiltshire Equations".
900:
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from 2004-2005, leading the mission design and operations for the projects. He was the deputy project manager for the
483:
Spencer, D.A. (2016). "Automated
Trajectory Control Using Artificial Potential Functions to Target Relative Orbits".
862:
234:(SBIR) funding to advance the technology. Vestigo raised $ 375,000 in seed funding from strategic investment firm
152:
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Spencer, D.; Braun, R. (1997). "Mars
Pathfinder Atmospheric Entry: Trajectory Design and Dispersion Analysis".
267:
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155:, completing a dissertation on automated proximity operations using relative orbital elements.
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Long, A.C.; Spencer, D.A. (2018). "A Scalable Drag Sail for the Deorbit of Small Satellites".
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794:"After Silences and Setbacks, the LightSail Spacecraft Is Revived, Deploying Its Solar Sail"
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151:, Indiana. He earned his Ph.D. from the Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering at the
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649:"David A Spencer | Aerospace Engineering | Georgia Institute of Technology | Atlanta, GA"
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698:"Automated trajectory control for proximity operations using relative orbital elements"
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Spencer, D.A.; Johnson, L.; Long, A.C. (2019). "Solar Sailing Technology Challenges".
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from 1991 through 2008. He served on the mission design and navigation team for the
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392:"Mars Exploration Program 2007 Phoenix landing site selection and characteristics"
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JPL Award for Excellence, Mars Pathfinder Entry, Descent and Landing design, 1998.
172:
697:
304:
Outstanding Aerospace Teachers, College of Engineering, Purdue University, 2019.
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600:
168:
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467:
282:
NASA Space Act Award, Entry, Descent and Landing Monte Carlo Simulation, 2007.
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55:
140:
767:"Tiny Solar Sail 'Cubesat' Launching with X-37B Space Plane on Wednesday"
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Spencer, D.; Tolson, R. (2007). "Aerobraking Cost and Risk Decisions".
124:
27:
504:
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Most Impactful Faculty Inventors, Purdue College of Engineering, 2019.
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JPL Award for Excellence, Mars Surveyor 2001 trajectory design, 1999.
446:
381:
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906:
Purdue University School of Aeronautics and Astronautics alumni
243:
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Outstanding Aerospace Engineer Award, Purdue University, 2004.
811:
601:"DragSail Systems for Satellite Deorbit and Targeted Reentry"
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863:"Planetary Society declares solar sailing mission a success"
388:
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School of Aeronautics and Astronautics - Purdue University
242:
Corvus-Micro small satellite, is manifested to fly on the
238:
in 2022. Vestigo's Spinnaker3 dragsail, hosted onboard an
115:
is the Mars Sample Return Campaign Mission Manager at the
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226:Spencer is the Founder and CEO of the 2019 startup
207:project manager for a second LightSail spacecraft,
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299:American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
171:mission, and he was the lead mission designer for
837:"Private light sail spacecraft to launch by 2016"
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270:, Mars Odyssey mission system leadership, 2003.
532:
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217:National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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572:Journal of Aerospace Science and Technology
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485:Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics
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135:Spencer received B.S. and M.S. degrees in
26:
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123:, Spencer designs and operates planetary
311:
695:
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279:, Deep Impact mission management, 2006.
261:, Mars Pathfinder mission design, 1998.
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246:Transporter-13 launch in March, 2025.
198:Spencer served as mission manager for
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696:Spencer, David Allen (2 April 2015).
158:
605:Journal of Space Safety Engineering
288:, Phoenix project management, 2009.
13:
286:NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal
277:NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal
259:NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal
232:Small Business Innovative Research
14:
927:
749:Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets
456:Journal of Astronautical Sciences
427:Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets
362:Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets
333:Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets
320:Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets
599:Black, A.; Spencer, D.A (2020).
165:NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory
854:
555:10.1016/j.actaastro.2019.06.024
396:Journal of Geophysical Research
153:Georgia Institute of Technology
792:Chang, Kenneth (8 June 2015).
740:
665:
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268:NASA Exceptional Service Medal
1:
634:
891:American aerospace engineers
861:Foust, Jeff (31 July 2019).
292:NASA Group Achievement Award
130:
7:
514:Journal of Small Satellites
10:
932:
626:10.1016/j.jsse.2020.07.030
901:Purdue University faculty
584:10.1016/j.ast.2019.07.009
468:10.1007/s40295-014-0029-6
117:Jet Propulsion Laboratory
106:
88:
78:
71:
63:
34:
25:
18:
250:Honors and distinctions
312:Selected publications
221:European Space Agency
200:The Planetary Society
101:The Planetary Society
83:Aerospace engineering
417:10.1029/2007JE003021
179:from 1997-2002, and
911:Georgia Tech alumni
617:2020JSSE....7..397B
547:2019AcAau.162..314R
526:2018JSSat...7..773L
497:2016JGCD...39.2142S
439:2009JSpRo..46.1196S
408:2008JGRE..113.0A03A
374:2007JSpRo..44.1285S
345:1999JSpRo..36..357S
185:Phoenix Mars Lander
39:David Allen Spencer
798:The New York Times
653:dev2.ae.gatech.edu
297:Associate Fellow,
163:Spencer worked at
159:Spaceflight career
121:aerospace engineer
93:Jet Propulsion Lab
535:Acta Astronautica
505:10.2514/1.G001487
228:Vestigo Aerospace
193:Purdue University
145:Purdue University
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73:Scientific career
49:November 21, 1965
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219:(NASA) and the
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867:. Retrieved
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916:1965 births
865:. SpaceNews
846:17 February
821:17 February
812:"LightSail"
777:17 February
732:17 February
707:17 February
541:: 314–326.
209:LightSail 2
204:LightSail 1
181:Deep Impact
137:aeronautics
64:Nationality
885:Categories
682:2022-08-23
658:2022-08-12
635:References
578:: 105276.
520:(3): 773.
125:spacecraft
45:1965-11-21
816:LightSail
771:Space.com
592:199087693
563:197433825
476:119409007
294:(6 times)
149:Lafayette
131:Education
58:, Indiana
869:4 August
841:CBS News
702:SmarTech
119:. As an
67:American
613:Bibcode
543:Bibcode
522:Bibcode
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341:Bibcode
301:, 2010.
223:(ESA).
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244:SpaceX
147:in W.
79:Fields
588:S2CID
559:S2CID
472:S2CID
143:from
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848:2016
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779:2016
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