George C. Soulas

NASA Research Park, Glenn Research Center

Papers

Total Citations

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About

George C. Soulas is a leading figure in advanced electric propulsion, whose work has been instrumental in advancing NASA’s ion propulsion systems for deep-space robotic exploration. His primary research focuses on the development, environmental testing, and thermal characterization of high-power ion engines, particularly the NASA’s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) system. Soulas’s major contributions include leading the environmental testing of the NEXT Prototype Model 1 (PM1) and its reworked variant (PM1R), demonstrating their robustness through rigorous vibration, thermal vacuum, and performance validation. These efforts, documented in papers with up to 23 citations, proved the thruster’s readiness for demanding solar system missions. His thermal development tests further optimized engine thermal management, ensuring reliable operation in space. Soulas’s work directly supports the In-Space Propulsion Technology Program, enabling next-generation solar electric propulsion for missions to asteroids, comets, and beyond. His achievements are foundational to the NEXT system’s maturation, marking him as a key contributor to the future of efficient, long-duration space travel.