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About

John Dankanich is a NASA aerospace engineer and propulsion specialist whose career has centered on advancing in-space propulsion technologies for robotic science and exploration missions. His research spans electric propulsion systems, Mars mission architecture, and asteroid retrieval concepts, with a particular focus on making ambitious deep-space missions more feasible and cost-effective. Dankanich has been a consistent contributor to NASA's In-Space Propulsion Technology (ISPT) Project since its early years, helping develop and refine propulsion solutions applicable to flagship and Discovery-class robotic missions. His work on electric propulsion for Mars transit missions demonstrated its potential as a lower-risk, reduced-cost alternative for sample return architectures, while his investigations into radioisotope electric propulsion opened pathways toward near-term nuclear propulsion applications. He also contributed substantially to Mars Ascent Vehicle design studies, tackling the formidable challenge of launching samples from the Martian surface under extreme environmental constraints. Among his most visible contributions is his involvement in NASA's Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission concept, which garnered 51 citations and brought renewed attention to asteroid capture and utilization strategies. Across more than a decade of published research accumulating over 150 citations, Dankanich has helped shape the trajectory of NASA's propulsion roadmap for the next generation of planetary exploration.