Eileen Liu

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About

Eileen Liu is a leading aerospace systems engineer whose work has shaped the architecture of humanity’s first permanent outpost beyond Earth. Her research focuses on space station design, mission operations, and the integration of complex human-robotic systems for deep-space exploration. Liu is best known for her foundational contributions to the Gateway—NASA’s planned lunar orbital station—where she authored the seminal "Concept of Operations for the Gateway" (2019, 16 citations). This paper established the operational framework for how crews, spacecraft, and ground teams will interact around the Moon, directly informing international partner agreements and vehicle design requirements. Her impact extends beyond citations; Liu’s work has been instrumental in defining the Gateway’s habitation modules, docking protocols, and crew timelines, enabling a sustainable presence in cislunar space. She has also contributed to Artemis mission planning and served as a technical lead for Gateway’s power and propulsion element integration. Through her clear, systems-level thinking, Liu has become a trusted voice in translating ambitious exploration goals into actionable flight operations, inspiring a new generation of engineers to build the infrastructure for humanity’s return to the Moon.