After receiving his doctorate at Brown University, Landis worked at the NASA Lewis Research Center (now NASA Glenn) and the Ohio Aerospace Institute before accepting a permanent position at theNASA John Glenn Research Center,[2] where he does research on Mars missions,[4]solar energy,[8] and technology development for future space missions.[9] He holds nine patents,[3] and has authored or co-authored more than 300 published scientific papers[10] in the fields ofastronautics and photovoltaics.
Landis has commented on the practicalities of generating oxygen and creating building materials for a futureMoon base inNew Scientist,[11] and on the possibilities of using readily available metallic iron to manufacture steel on Mars.[12]
Landis has worked on a number of projects related to developing technology of human and robotic exploration of Mars and scientific analysis of the Martian surface,[16] including studies of the performance ofphotovoltaic cells in the Mars environment,[17][18][19] the effect of Martian dust on performance,[20] and technologies for dust removal from the arrays.[21]He was a member of the Rover team on theMars Pathfinder mission,[22][23] and named the Mars rock, "Yogi".[24] He is a member of the science team on the 2003Mars Exploration Rovers mission,[9] where his work includes observations of Martian dust devils,[25] atmospheric science measurements, and observation of frost on the equator of Mars.[26] He was also a member of the Mars ISPP Propellant Precursor experiment team for theMars Surveyor 2001 Lander mission, an experiment package to demonstrate manufacture of oxygen from the Martian atmosphere (which was cancelled after the failure of theMars Polar Lander).[27]
TheZephyr landsailing rover, a concept for a wind-propelled rover on the surface of Venus. Image from NASA John Glenn Research Center, for the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts ("NIAC") project.
Landis was a fellow of theNASA Institute for Advanced Concepts ("NIAC"), where he worked on a project investigating the use of laser- and particle-beam pushedsails for propulsion forinterstellar flight.[33] In 2002 Landis addressed the annual convention of theAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science on the possibilities and challenges of interstellar travel in what was described as the "first serious discussion of how mankind will one day set sail to the nearest star". Dr. Landis said, "This is the first meeting to really consider interstellar travel by humans. It is historic. We're going to the stars. There really isn't a choice in the long term." He went on to describe a star ship with a diamond sail, a fewnanometres thick, powered by solar energy, which could achieve "10 per cent of the speed of light".[34]
He was selected again as a NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts fellow in 2012,[35] with feasibility concept of alandsailing rover for Venus exploration,[36] calledVenus Landsailing Rover, and in 2015 was the science lead on a NIAC study to design a mission toNeptune's moonTriton.[37]
In 2017, Landis's work was the subject of the book[38]Land-Sailing Venus Rover With NASA Inventor Geoffrey Landis, published byWorld Book[39] as part of their "Out of This World" book series for ages 10–14+.[40]
In 2005–2006, he was named theRonald E. McNair Visiting Professor of Astronautics atMIT,[41] and won theAIAA Abe M. Zarem Educator Award in 2007.[42]Landis has also been a faculty member of theInternational Space University; in 1998 he was on the faculty of the Department of Mining, Manufacturing, and Robotics in the Space Studies Program, and in 1999 he was on the faculty of the 12th Space Studies Program at theSuranaree University of Technology inNakhon Ratchasima,Thailand. and co-chair of the student project "Out of the Cradle".[43] He was also a guest lecturer at the ISU 13th Space Studies Program inValparaíso,Chile, and the 2015 Space Studies Program inAthens, Ohio.[44]
His first novel,Mars Crossing, was published byTor Books in 2000, winning aLocus Award.[7] A short story collection,Impact Parameter (and Other Quantum Realities), was published byGolden Gryphon Press in 2001 and named as noteworthy by trade magazinePublishers Weekly.[50][51] He has also won theAnalog Analytical Laboratory Award for the noveletteThe Man in the Mirror (2009).[52] His 2010 novellaThe Sultan of the Clouds won theTheodore Sturgeon Award for best short science fiction story,[53] and was nominated for both the Nebula[54] and Hugo awards.[55]
Geoffrey Landis combined his scientific insights about Venus cloud layer habitability in his science fiction workThe Sultan of the Clouds (2010).
Landis has also published a number of poems, much of it involving science fiction or science themes. He won theRhysling Award three times, for his poems "Christmas, after we all get time machines" in 2000 (which also won the 2000Asimov's Reader's Award for best poem[56]), for "Search" in 2009,[57] and for "No One Now Remembers" in 2024.[58] He won theDwarf Stars Award in 2010, for the poem "Fireflies".[59] He has won the Asimov's Reader's award for best poem three times,[60][61] most recently in 2014, for his poem "Rivers".[61] In 2009, he won second place in theHessler Street Fair poetry contest for his poem "Five Pounds of Sunlight", and first place in 2010 for "Human Potential".[62]
His poetry collectionIron Angels was published in 2009.[63]
Landis has also written non-fiction and popular science articles, encyclopedia articles and columns for a large range of publications, includingAnalog Science Fiction and Fact,Space Sciences,Asimov's Science Fiction,Spaceflight, andScience Fiction Age.[64] His article "The Demon Under Hawaii" won the Analog Analytical Laboratory Award for best science article in 1993.[52]
2014Robert A. Heinlein Award "bestowed for outstanding published works in science fiction and technical writings that inspire the human exploration of space".[66]
^ab"Geoffrey Landis".NASA Glenn Academy for Space Exploration. NASA. June 24, 2009. Archived fromthe original on May 28, 2010. RetrievedMarch 25, 2010.
^"Colonization of Venus"(PDF).NASA Glenn Research Center. NASA. February 6, 2003. RetrievedMarch 11, 2014.
"Impact Parameter – Geoffrey Landis".Golden Gryphon Press. Archived fromthe original on December 24, 2009. RetrievedMarch 25, 2010.This collection of his short stories, Landis's first, contains most of his award-nominated and award-winning stories, including the Hugo winner 'A Walk in the Sun,' a surreal survivor story set on Luna.
Staff (September 10, 2002)."NASA Scientist Brings Mars Stories to China".Peoples Daily Online. RetrievedMarch 11, 2011.The US was planning to send robots to Mars in 2003, said Landis, who is also a famous science fiction writer.
Staff (December 17, 2007)."Eaton Science Fiction Conference Scheduled May 16–18, 2008".US Fed News, archived atLexisNexis. HT Media Ltd. RetrievedMarch 11, 2011.Other notable authors who will participate are Greg Bear, Gregory Benford, David Brin, Ben Bova, Geoffrey Landis and Kim Stanley Robinson.
Staff (June 13, 2005)."Nexis® UK: Document".Manila Times, archived atLexisNexis. RetrievedMarch 11, 2011.The Deep Impact mission is also significant because it illustrates the extent of science fiction's influence on space technology. 'Science fiction is inspiring,' confirms Geoffrey Landis, a NASA scientist who is also an award-winning science-fiction author. 'Science fiction shows us things that are beyond the realm of the possible-today, that is.'
Berry III, John N. (June 1, 2004)."Redefining Reinventing Recruiting; LJ's Picks & Pans for the 2004 Annual Conference of the American Library Association, Orlando".Library Journal, archived atLexisNexis. RetrievedMarch 11, 2011.RUSA CODES Notable Books Council. Literary Tastes: A Notable Books Breakfast. 7—10 a.m. Authors of Notable Books selections speak to the writing experience and/or read from their works. After the breakfast, the authors will be available for signing and conversation: Ed Greenwood ('Band of Four' series), Geoffrey Landis (Mars Crossing), Vernor Vinge (A Deepness in the Sky)
"Past awards".The Nebula Awards. Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Archived fromthe original on December 17, 2005. RetrievedMarch 25, 2010.
"1992 Hugo Awards".The Hugo Awards. World Science Fiction Society. Archived fromthe original on May 7, 2011. RetrievedMarch 25, 2010.
"2003 Hugo Awards".The Hugo Awards. World Science Fiction Society. Archived fromthe original on May 7, 2011. RetrievedMarch 25, 2010.
^"Geoffrey A. Landis".Selected Scientific and Technical Publications. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. October 2005. Archived fromthe original on June 10, 2008.
^Appelbaum, J.; Sherman, I.; Landis, G. A. (1995). "Solar radiation on Mars - Stationary photovoltaic array".Journal of Propulsion and Power.11 (3):554–561.doi:10.2514/3.23877.hdl:2060/19940010257.
^Geoffrey A. Landis, Thomas W. Kerslake, Phillip P. Jenkins and David A. Scheiman,Mars Solar Power, NASA/TM—2004-213367, November 2004; paper AIAA–2004–5555
^Geoffrey A. Landis; Steven J. Oleson; Melissa McGuire (January 9, 2012).Design Study for a Mars Geyser Hopper(PDF). 50th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Conference. Glenn Research Center, NASA. AIAA-2012-0631. RetrievedJuly 1, 2012.; available from NTRS as"Design Study for a Mars Geyser Hopper".NASA. January 9, 2012. RetrievedJuly 1, 2012.
^G.A. Landis, "Teleoperation from Mars Orbit: A Proposal for Human Exploration",Acta Astronautica, Vol. 61, No. 1, pp 59-65; presented as paper IAC-04-IAA.3.7.2.05, 55th International Astronautical Federation Congress, Vancouver BC, October 4–8, 2004.
^Geoffrey A. Landis, P. Cunio, T. Ishimatsu, J. Keller, Z. Khan, and R. Odegard,"Mars Sample Return with ISRU", Seventh International Conference on Mars (2007).
^"Impact Parameter – Geoffrey Landis".Golden Gryphon Press. Archived fromthe original on December 24, 2009. RetrievedMarch 25, 2010.This collection of his short stories, Landis's first, contains most of his award-nominated and award-winning stories, including the Hugo winner 'A Walk in the Sun,' a surreal survivor story set on Luna.
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