Paul Wercinski

Papers

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About

Paul Wercinski is a pioneering aerospace engineer whose career has centered on advancing entry, descent, and landing (EDL) technologies for planetary exploration, with a primary focus on Mars. His foundational work includes contributions to the Mars Environmental Survey (MESUR) mission concept, which laid the groundwork for future in-situ Martian science by proposing a global network of landers. Wercinski also conducted critical studies on Mars aerocapture for the Design Reference Mission, helping to refine trajectory and deceleration strategies for both robotic and future human missions. His most impactful contribution is the development of the ADEPT (Adaptive, Deployable Entry and Placement Technology) project, a mechanically-deployed hypersonic decelerator paired with conformal ablator technologies. This game-changing innovation enables the delivery of larger payloads to Mars and other planetary bodies, addressing a key bottleneck in high-mass missions. With over 16 citations across his most recognized works, Wercinski’s research continues to influence NASA’s strategic planning for sustainable human exploration of the Red Planet.