Charity Lewis

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About

Charity Lewis is a leading aerospace engineer whose work has been instrumental in advancing the technologies required for human Mars exploration. Her primary research focuses on the critical phase of entry, descent, and landing (EDL), where she tackles the immense challenges of delivering heavy payloads—on the order of 40 to 80 metric tons—to the Martian surface. Her most cited paper, "Sizing of an Entry, Descent, and Landing System for Human Mars Exploration" (2006), provides foundational analysis for scaling EDL systems far beyond the capabilities of any robotic mission. This work, with 18 citations, has become a key reference for engineers designing the next generation of Mars landers. Lewis’s contributions are vital to overcoming the unprecedented aerodynamic and thermal constraints that human-class missions present, directly supporting NASA’s long-term vision for crewed Mars expeditions. Her research continues to shape the trajectory of interplanetary exploration, making her a pivotal figure in the quest to establish a human presence on the Red Planet.