Edgardo Santiago-Maldonado

Kennedy Space Center, Johnson Space Center

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Edgardo Santiago-Maldonado is a leading aerospace engineer whose work has been foundational to the future of human space exploration, particularly in the field of In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU). His research focuses on developing the technologies necessary for astronauts to "live off the land" on other planets, with a primary emphasis on Mars. His most influential work, "Mars In-Situ Resource Utilization Technology Evaluation" (42 citations), critically assessed the technologies required to process Martian resources—such as the atmosphere and soil—into life support consumables and propellant, a capability now considered essential for sustainable missions. Santiago-Maldonado also played a key role in shaping NASA’s strategic vision, contributing to the "NASA Technology Area 07 Human Exploration Destination Systems Roadmap" (15 citations), which outlined the agency’s technology development priorities for habitats and surface systems. His hands-on engineering is exemplified by the "Prototype Development of an Integrated Mars Atmosphere and Soil-Processing System" (15 citations), a groundbreaking hardware demonstration that integrated multiple ISRU processes into a single, functional prototype. Through these contributions, Santiago-Maldonado has helped transform ISRU from a theoretical concept into a tangible, enabling technology for humanity’s return to the Moon and eventual journey to Mars.