Gregory Whiffen
- Program Years: 1991-1995
- Academic Institution: Cornell University
- Field of Study: Environmental Systems Engineering
- Academic Advisor: Christine Shoemaker
- Practicum(s):
Argonne National Laboratory (1992)
- Degree(s):
Ph.D. Environmental Systems Engineering, Cornell University, 1995
M.S. Environmental Systems Engineering, Cornell University, 1993
B.S. Math, B.S. Astronomy and B.S. Physics, with honors University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1987
Current Status
- Status: Principal Engineer, Outer Planets Mission Design Group, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena CA.
- Research Area: Deep Space Trajectory and Mission Design, Low-Thrust Mission Design, and Nonlinear Optimal Control
Comments
Dr. Whiffen is currently developing trajectories for NASA's Dawn Discovery Mission to orbit the giant metallic asteroid Psyche launching in 2022. Previously, Dr. Whiffen served as lead mission designer on the Dawn mission to asteroid Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres. Dawn used ion propulsion. If a spacecraft's capability is measured by its ability to change its velocity, then Dawn will be the most capable spacecraft ever launched by a factor of three. This tremendous propulsive capability is required to visit and stay at both Vesta and Ceres.
