Papers
4
Total Citations
48
H-Index
4
About
Paul W. Chodas is a leading figure in planetary defense and near-Earth object (NEO) research, best known for his pioneering work in asteroid impact hazard assessment and deflection mission design. As the manager of NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), Chodas has been instrumental in developing the computational tools that precisely predict asteroid orbits and impact probabilities. His major contributions include leading the Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) Formulation Assessment and Support Team, which produced a foundational 2016 report (17 citations) that shaped NASA’s strategy for robotic asteroid capture and human exploration. Chodas also authored a critical 2015 comparative analysis of asteroid-deflection approaches (13 citations), systematically evaluating kinetic impactors, gravity tractors, and laser ablation to inform NASA’s technology investments. His work on human missions to near-Earth asteroids (2015, 7 citations) and the extensibility of ARM to Mars (2014, 11 citations) has bridged planetary defense with deep-space exploration goals. With over 30 years of expertise, Chodas’s precise orbital calculations and mission planning have directly influenced global planetary defense strategies, making him a central architect of humanity’s strategy to protect Earth from cosmic impacts.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) Formulation Assessment and Support Team (FAST) Final Report17 citations · 2016
- 2Comparative analysis of asteroid-deflection approaches13 citations · 2015
- 3Extensibility of Human Asteroid Mission to Mars and Other Destinations11 citations · 2014
- 4Human Exploration of Near-Earth Asteroids7 citations · 2015