Amanda Verges

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Amanda Verges is a leading aerospace engineer whose work focuses on the entry, descent, and landing (EDL) systems critical for human Mars exploration. Her most-cited paper, "Sizing of an Entry, Descent, and Landing System for Human Mars Exploration" (2006, 18 citations), tackles the formidable challenge of landing human-class payloads—estimated at 40 to 80 metric tons—on the Martian surface. This foundational study addresses the unprecedented scaling of EDL technologies beyond robotic missions, proposing system architectures that can safely decelerate and deliver such massive cargo. Verges’ contributions are pivotal in bridging the gap between current robotic landers and future crewed missions, highlighting the need for advanced aeroshells, supersonic parachutes, and retropropulsion systems. Her work has informed NASA’s long-term Mars exploration roadmap and continues to influence engineers designing next-generation landing systems. By quantifying the technical hurdles and viable solutions for human-scale EDL, Verges has established herself as a key voice in the aerospace community, helping to turn the dream of human footprints on Mars into an achievable engineering reality.