Explore real-world space propulsion applications and solar sail case studies with Les Johnson, former Chief Technologist at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). Topics will include solar, laser, and electric sails, space tethers, and more. Hosted by the Department of Aeronautics, this lecture examines the latest developments in deep-space systems and aerospace engineering.
Please note that this lecture is for Imperial staff and students only.
Abstract
Conventional spacecraft are heavy, costly, and limited by onboard fuel capacity. A new generation of propellantless space propulsion technologies, such as solar sails, use space’s immense but diffuse energy to enable faster, longer-lasting propulsion that can reach deep-space destinations impossible with traditional systems. As the timeline from laboratory research to active mission deployment compresses, developing scalable, cost-effective propulsion architectures is essential for expanding deep space access.
About the speaker
Les Johnson is a physicist, space technology entrepreneur, and CEO/Founder of Infinite Frontiers Consulting. A 35-year NASA veteran, he previously served as Chief Technologist at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center and Principal Investigator for NASA’s NEA Scout and Solar Cruiser solar sail missions. An expert in advanced propulsion, beamed power, and small satellite systems, Johnson brings deep experience bridging NASA, the U.S. Space Force, commercial industry, and academic research to advance space technology. He is an elected member of the International Academy of Astronautics, a member of the International Advisory Board for The Journal of British Interplanetary Society, a Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society, and an author whose non-fiction and science fiction works have been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Wired, and Scientific American.