Skip to content
Provided by ASME Logo The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Robert W. Moses, Ph.D.

Robert Moses

Robert W. Moses, Ph.D., Engineer, Aeronautics and Astronautics Scientist, TAMER Space

Robert Moses is an exploration systems engineer, aeronautics and astronautics scientist, and published author with recognized expertise in aircraft and spacecraft design, destination systems for human exploration, planetary surface resource usage and marine & civil engineering. He is a licensed builder.

During his tenure at NASA 1989-2022, Robert contributed to flight test teams developing hardware for Shuttle missions starting with Atlantis, STS-37 in 1991, the design of the F-22 and F-35 aircraft, Mars ARES Airplane, Constellation Program activities including the Ares I-X Flight Vehicle Development, and many more.

Robert is a Subject Matter Expert in Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL), In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), In-Space Assembly (ISA), and Surface Construction on the Moon and Mars utilizing indigenous resources. He led or contributed to Creativity & Innovation (C&I), Center Innovation Fund (CIF), and mission architecture studies on these topics.

Robert served as LaRC's Lead on STMD’s Systems Capabilities Leadership Team in ISRU and for Surface Construction and ISRU activities. He served as Principal Investigator (PI) for the “Lunar Safe Haven Study” funded by the Game Changing Development Program and continues to participate in the Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium (LSIC) Focus Groups on Excavation & Construction and ISRU. He served as a Session Chair on "Infrastructure to Stay – Moon", ASCEND Conference, Las Vegas, 2020 & 2021 for enabling a sustainable presence and cislunar economy.

He was a topic lead to NASA's NSTGRO Fellowship Programs for Human Exploration Destination Systems and a NIAC Fellow as PI for the Phase 1 Study of "Advanced Aerocapture System for Enabling Faster-Larger Planetary Science & Human Exploration Missions."

Robert holds a BS degree in Civil Engineering (NCSU), a MS degree in Systems Engineering (VPI), a MS degree in Mechanical Engineering (Stanford), and PhD in Aeronautics & Astronautics (Stanford). He is an Associate Fellow of AIAA, a member of ASCE, and a licensed residential and commercial builder in Virginia. Prior to joining NASA, Robert worked at Newport News Shipbuilding Company contributing to the design and construction of numerous submarines and surface ships and a former member of Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.

He holds a number of patents on a variety of aerospace systems and was awarded a NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal and two International Group Achievement Awards by the Pentagon (Subcommittee on Non-Atomic Military Research & Development).

Much of his work is published, and he is a contributing author and section editor of the pending Handbook of Lunar Base Design & Development, Aldrin & Eckart (Executive Editors).

Robert serves as Director of Innovation & Technology at Tamer Space, LLC a company he founded in 2019 for maturing his and other licensed patents into operational systems that benefit the United States, both in Space and on Earth, for increasing competitive advantage and creating new commercial opportunities.