Erik M. Conway

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Erik M. Conway is a distinguished historian of science and technology, whose work illuminates the complex interplay between engineering, policy, and exploration in the space age. His research centers on the history of planetary science, spaceflight, and the institutional evolution of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Conway’s major contributions include a landmark study of JPL’s transformation from a rocket-testing site into the world’s premier center for robotic space exploration, particularly its ambitious—and often fraught—quest to explore Mars. His most cited work, *Spaceflight: The Development of Science, Surveillance, and Commerce in Space* (2012, 18 citations), offers a sweeping, multi-author perspective on space exploration’s past and future. His book *Exploration and Engineering: The Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Quest for Mars* (2015, 14 citations) provides a definitive, critical account of JPL’s Mars missions, from the 1990s through the Phoenix lander, revealing how technical challenges, budget pressures, and organizational culture shaped the science. Through meticulous archival research and clear, engaging prose, Conway has made the history of spaceflight accessible to both scholars and the public, establishing himself as a leading voice on how we came to explore the solar system.