Jonathan Van Noord

NASA Research Park, Glenn Research Center

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About

Jonathan Van Noord is a key figure in advanced electric propulsion, specializing in the development and testing of high-power ion engines for deep-space exploration. His work centers on NASA’s Evolutionary Xenon Thruster (NEXT) program, a next-generation solar electric propulsion system designed to enable ambitious robotic missions across the solar system. Van Noord’s major contributions include leading environmental and thermal development tests for the NEXT PM1 ion engine, ensuring its resilience and performance in the harsh conditions of space. His 2007 paper on environmental testing, cited 23 times, validates the engine’s durability against vibration and thermal vacuum stresses, while his thermal development study, with 15 citations, optimizes heat management for sustained operation. These efforts have directly supported the NEXT system’s maturation, offering a higher-power, more efficient alternative to earlier ion thrusters for missions to asteroids, Mars, and beyond. Van Noord’s rigorous testing protocols and data have become foundational references for propulsion engineers, cementing his role in advancing NASA’s in-space propulsion technology and enabling the next era of solar system exploration.