Dr. Betsy Congdon

Betsy Congdon

Chief Technologist

Space Exploration Sector

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

“Materials Making an Impact: Enabling Missions in Space through Technology System Development”

Abstract: While history books remember the accomplishments of space missions, it is the defining technologies that enable them to achieve these monumental successes. Parker Solar Probe (PSP), NASA’s mission to “Touch the Sun” and survive the closest approach to our star, and the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), NASA’s mission to kinetically deflect an asteroid and demonstrate planetary defense to protect the Earth, are both shining examples of how novel technology that had never been flown in space enabled missions that changed the way we fundamentally approach future opportunities. However, the process for qualifying new technologies for space has long been an expensive and time consuming endeavor, deterring potential solutions from ever being realized. Space technology development has been, and will likely always be, hard. Now, with the pace of space changing, a new paradigm is required. For the examples above, at the heart of theses successful mission PSP and DART were fundamental materials investigations, and by using the lessons learned here, we can focus on how we can leverage materials to enable the next generation of successful space science missions. If we want to keep making history, we are going to need to leverage material understanding to move faster, rise to the technical challenges of space development, and build off the success of the past.

BIO: Dr. Betsy Congdon has extensive experience in spacecraft development including technical leadership, mechanical testing, and hardware design. She has managed and led large and complex teams to accomplish technically challenging goals and producing one-of-a-kind flight quality hardware. Among her many achievements are leading the engineering team that successfully delivered the thermal protection system for NASA’s $1 billion Parker Solar Probe mission, leading the mechanical team for NASA’s first planetary defense DART mission from concept through integration and test and launch, and served as the Flight System Mechanical System Engineer for NASA’s Dragonfly mission. As a member of Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab Principal Professional Staff, Dr. Congdon is currently serving as the Space Exploration Sector’s Chief Technologist driving innovative technology development throughout the Sector and externally.

Dr. Congdon enjoys engaging a wide range of professional and public audiences on the development of complex missions and the technologies that enable them. She has spoken about Parker Solar Probe at South by Southwest, was featured in a plenary panel on DART at the International Astronautical Congress, and has done numerous press events for Parker Solar Probe and DART. Additionally, she serves as an instructor for the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering.

Dr. Congdon earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University as well as a master’s degree and Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University in Mechanical Engineering.