Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Benjamin K. Malphrus is a leading figure in small satellite and deep-space exploration, whose work is propelling humanity’s return to the Moon. As the principal investigator for **Lunar IceCube**, a NASA-funded nanosatellite mission, he is pioneering the use of CubeSats for interplanetary science. His most cited work (33 citations) details how this compact spacecraft will use a novel, iodine-fueled RF ion propulsion system—the **Busek BIT-3**—to enter lunar orbit and prospect for water ice deposits. This mission is a critical step toward characterizing volatile resources that could support future robotic and human explorers. Malphrus’s contributions extend beyond mission design; he has helped validate the world’s first iodine-fueled gridded ion thruster, demonstrating its ability to deliver 1.3 mN of thrust and 3,200 seconds of specific impulse. By proving that low-cost, small satellites can perform high-value science beyond low-Earth orbit, Malphrus is reshaping the landscape of space exploration, making it more accessible and sustainable for the next generation of researchers and engineers.