Papers
10
Total Citations
140
H-Index
7
About
Daniel D. Mazanek is a NASA researcher whose career has centered on two deeply intertwined challenges of the space age: planetary defense against asteroid threats and the advancement of human and robotic deep space exploration. His most significant contributions stem from his central role in developing and refining NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM), a bold concept aimed at robotically capturing a multi-ton boulder from a near-Earth asteroid and repositioning it in cislunar space for crewed study. His 2014 overview of the Robotic Boulder Capture Option, now with 38 citations, remains a foundational reference in the field. Mazanek also advanced planetary defense methodology through his work on the Enhanced Gravity Tractor technique, which improves upon conventional gravitational deflection approaches by leveraging mass collected directly from a threatening asteroid. His 2010 contribution to flexible pathways for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit further demonstrates his broader strategic vision for space policy. Across more than a decade of publications, Mazanek has helped shape how scientists, engineers, and policymakers think about humanity's relationship with near-Earth asteroids — both as hazards to be mitigated and resources to be harnessed.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission: Robotic Boulder Capture Option Overview38 citations · 2014
- 2Enhanced Gravity Tractor Technique for Planetary Defense24 citations · 2015
- 3Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) Formulation Assessment and Support Team (FAST) Final Report17 citations · 2016
- 4A Flexible Path for Human and Robotic Space Exploration16 citations · 2010
- 5
- 6Extensibility of Human Asteroid Mission to Mars and Other Destinations11 citations · 2014
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10NASA's Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM)2 citations · 2015