Michael P. Schoenfeld, MSc

Michael P. Schoenfeld, MSc is an Aerospace Engineer at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and Master degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech and in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Florida.
 
While going to school, Mike was able to participate in various NASA programs for students. He was a co-op at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and student intern at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. He also flew experiments on NASA’s KC-135 “Weightless Wonder” and created & fostered support for a remote controllable landing system in which he was able to build & drop test from an airplane in the deserts of New Mexico while working in the NASA sponsored Sub Orbital Center of Excellence.
 
He began working for NASA full-time in August of 2005 in the Nuclear Systems Team of the Propulsion Research and Technology Branch. During this time he has been able to work designing, developing, and testing nuclear related technologies for space exploration that can be used for generating electrical power and improved in-space propulsion.
 
In addition to this work, Mike has a broad interest in developing a wide range of technologies for revolutionizing space exploration capabilities. In 2010, he came up with a concept for biological radiation protection by postulating if research he was doing in water irradiation could be applied biologically. As a result he was invited to attend and share this idea with medical researchers in Japan in 2011 and at the 100 yr starship symposium. Mike’s interests outside of work are flying, skydiving, scuba diving, riding his motorcycle, cross fit training, and playing with his dogs.
 
Watch NASA Now Minute: Rocket Engineering. Mike is presenting A Hypothesis on Biological Protection from Space Radiation Through the Use of New Therapeutic Gases at the DARPA/NASA 100 Year Starship Study Public Symposium. He also authored A Review of Radiolysis Concerns for Water Shielding in Fission Surface Power Applications and coauthored Hydrogen therapy may reduce the risks related to radiation-induced oxidative stress in space flight.