LAUREL, Md. (JHU APL PR) — Dr. Robert D. Braun has been announced as the next head of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory’s (APL) Space Exploration Sector. His appointment begins on March 28, 2022.

Braun, who most recently served as Director for Planetary Science at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), has more than 30 years of experience as a space systems engineer, technologist and organizational leader. He is internationally recognized as an authority in the development of entry, descent and landing systems.

“We are very pleased to welcome Bobby to the Laboratory,” said APL Director Ralph Semmel. “His achievements in leading space technology and science innovations, as well as his accomplishments in mission and program development, are an ideal match for the types of unique and complex challenges we undertake here.”

NASA and Accelerating American Innovation Center for Strategic & International Studies March 10, 2011 — Washington, DC Speech Mr. Charles F. Bolden, Jr. NASA Administrator Panel Discussion Robert D. Braun Chief Technologist, NASA Christopher G. Caine President and CEO, Mercator XXI, LLC Tyrone Taylor Capitol Advisors on Technology, LLC Introduction Dr. John Hamre President and CEO, CSIS Moderator James Lewis Director, CSIS Technology and Public Policy Program

Jupiter Direct Launcher Variants

It looks like a battle is heating up over exactly the type of heavy-lift vehicle that NASA will build. The Congressional authorization bill directs NASA to make use of technology developed for the Constellation and space shuttle programs. That means solid rockets designed in Alabama and built by ATK in Utah, thus preserving thousands of jobs in key Congressional districts. However, NASA has some other ideas.

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NASA Chief Technologist Robert Braun

NASA PRESS RELEASE

NASA is seeking information from potential partners who could provide no-cost brokerage services for intellectual property transactions, such as patent brokering, to help transfer NASA-owned technologies into the U.S. marketplace.

“Technology transfer always has been an important objective of America’s aeronautics and space program,” said NASA Chief Technologist Bobby Braun at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “We want to accelerate the agency’s efforts to get groundbreaking technologies and innovations from development efforts out into commercial markets. We’re asking for information from broker services on how they might help us do this, without any cost to the taxpayer.”

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NASA Jump-starts Space Technology Program
Space News

Senior NASA officials are so eager to jump-start advanced technology efforts that they sought and won congressional approval to devote $36.5 million in 2010 funding to eight high-priority research projects.

Those projects, which include joint efforts with the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to investigate horizontal launch capabilities, in-orbit satellite servicing and power-beam propulsion, are set to begin immediately, said Robert Braun, NASA chief technologist.

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