Mike Gruntman
Professor of Astronautics
Professor of Aerospace Engineering
Viterbi School of Engineering
University of Southern California
Founder of the USC Astronautics
Program
First (Founding) Chairman, 2004–2007; Chairman, 2016–2019
Department of Astronautical
Engineering
Mike's call for changes in space
engineering education in the United States (and USC program status and success):
The Time for
Academic Departments in Astronautical Engineering, AIAA-2007-6042
Advanced degrees in astronautical engineering
for the space industry, Acta Astronautica, 2014
Master of Science Degree in Astronautical
Engineering Through Distance Learning, IAC-18-E1.4.11, 2018
Master of Science in Astronautical Engineering
degree at the University of Southern California for the space industry, Journal of Space Safety Engineering, 2025
Mike's books
Mike's space and rocket videos
Mike on
ResearchGate
Google Scholar
Loop
Academia
ORCID
Mike's short courses
Web site at USC
Amazon
The Space Show
Secure Freedom Radio
Mike's LinkedIn articles
On
LinkedIn
Facebook
YouTube
in Wikipedia
in Grokipedia
Mike's Publication List
Sputnik
Explorer
Vanguard
Astronautics
Missile defense
Baikonur Tyuratam
Saryshagan
Rocket equation
Rocket espionage
U-2
Neil Armstrong
USC
Fields of interest and expertise
APL Colloquium - AIAA Distinguished Speaker Lecture, 2022
Intercept 1961: From Air Defense SA-1 to the Birth of Soviet Missile Defense
(video, 1 h 01 min)
It is time to build a space-based missile defense layer (op-ed)
Current Space Missions
Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX),
NASA – Mission Co-Investigator
TWINS, NASA – Mission Co-Investigator
Publications
more than 300 scholarly publications, including 6 books
selected publications
Editorial Boards
Review of Scientific Instruments, 2001-2003
Astrophysics and Space Sciences Transactions (ASTRA), 2005-2013
Education
Ph.D. (physics), 1984
Space Research Institute (IKI), The USSR Academy of Sciences
M.Sc. (physics), 1977
Faculty (School) of Aerophysics and Space Research (FAKI),
Moscow Physical-Technical Institute (MFTI)
aka Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology
Specialized training, 1974–1976, liquid propellant rocket engines
Mike Gruntman,
My Fifteen Years at IKI, the Space Research Institute:
Position-Sensitive Detectors and Energetic Neutral Atoms Behind the Iron Curtain,
Interstellar Trail Press, 2022
book web site
(pdf info)
ISBN 979-8-9856687-0-4.
About Mike's life in MFTI and IKI (in Russian)
USC VSOE News – Armstrong at USC, 2025,
USC VSOE News – 2025,
pdf,
video
USC VSOE Magazine – 2021
(pdf)
USC VSOE Magazine – 2011
CU@USC TV interview – 2011
USC VSOE News – 2009
USC VSOE News – 2007
USC Engineer – 2004
USC SOE Accelerating the Future – 2002
Academic Programs
Founder (1994–1995), USC Astronautics
Program
First (Founding) Chairman (2004–2007),
Astronautics and Space Technology Division
(reorganized into the Department of Astronautical Engineering in 2010 ), USC Viterbi School of Engineering,
(history of USC space engineering program)
Department chairman again from 2016-2019.
Director
(2004-now), Master of Science in
Astronautical Engineering (MS ASTE), among largest in the United States
Developed a comprehensive academic program that offers Bachelor of
Science, Bachelor of Science – Minor, Master of Science,
Engineer, and PhD
degrees
and Graduate Certificate in Astronautical Engineering
Astronautics Program focus:
engineers for Space
Industry and Government (NASA, Air Force, Navy, Army, DoD, IC, DOE, ...)
Research and Development Centers;
space engineering for national security space, commercial space, space exploration, government, and industry
Distance
Learning:
Master of Science degree
and Graduate Certificate reach students across
the United States and abroad through classes webcast
by USC/VSOE Distance Education Network (DEN)
Space Pioneer Ary
Sternfeld (25 min)
Teaching
Mike's
ASTE-520 Spacecraft Design
and
ASTE-575 Rocket and Spacecraft Propulsion
.
Short courses for industry and government
ASTE-520 Spacecraft Design
is among largest graduate courses on space systems in the United States, with more than
2500 students enrolled in the course since 1994
Open Skies for National Security
Mike's videos
Mike's space and rocket videos
Popular
instructional videos on space mission design and orbital mechanics, space and
rocket history, and other space related topics, with hundreds of thousands of
views during recent years. The total number
of views of all Mike's videos approaches one million.
List of selected videos as pdf
First USC
student micro-satellite
initiated
and led the first USC student microsatellite program, 1995–1998
Educational
and outreach web site
developed (in
1996) and maintains a professional/educational web site on
Astronautics
and Spacecraft Design
500,000+ hits;
highlighted in Physics
Today;
recognized as the "space site of the week" by SpaceViews (a major
aerospace electronic publication)
American Institute of Aeronautics and
Astronautics AIAA -- history
Short
courses
Popular short courses on
space systems for industry and government,
including in friendly countries (Mike conducts his own foreign policy)
Sputnik
Explorer
Vanguard
Astronautics
Missile defense
Baikonur Tyuratam
Saryshagan
Rocket equation
Rocket espionage
U-2
Neil Armstrong
USC
Affiliations
Associate Fellow, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
Academician (elected), International Academy of Astronautics (IAA)
Member, American Physical Society (APS)
Member, American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Member, American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), not anymore
Awards
Certificate of Appreciation, 2022
Northwest Florida Section, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
Certificate of Appreciation, 2020
Los Angeles - Las Vegas Section, AIAA
Citation, 2020
Long Island Section, AIAA
Distinguished Educator Award, 2017
Orange County Engineering Council
NASA Group Achievement Award, 2011
Luigi Napolitano Book Award, 2006
International Academy of Astronautics (IAA)
NASA Group Achievement Award, 2001
NASA Group Achievement Award, 2000
Exceptional Service Award, 1999
USC School of Engineering
Certificate, 1998
Los Angeles Section, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
Outstanding Teaching Award, 1987
USC School of Engineering
Certificate of Appreciation, 1997
Los Angeles Section, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
Selected service to the profession
2008 – 2012; 2014 – 2016; 2020 – 2022
Member
(elected)
Engineering Faculty Council, USC
2018 – now
Distinguished Speaker (Lecturer), AIAA
2001–2003
Member
of the Editorial Board
Review of Scientific
Instruments
1999
Sun-Earth
Connection Roadmap Team
Office of Space Science, NASA
1999
Interstellar
Probe Science and Technology Definition Team
Office of Space Science, NASA
1999
– 2004
Member,
Science and Technical Advisory Panel
Air and Space Gallery, California Science Center
1998
– 2000
Member
(elected)
Engineering Faculty Council, USC
1996
– 1998
Member
(elected)
Engineering Faculty Council, USC
1997
– 1998
Vice
Chair, Education (elected)
Los Angeles Section
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
1996
– 1997
Vice
Chair, Education (elected)
Los Angeles Section
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
1993
–
now
various
committees
Viterbi
School of Engineering, USC (distance learning, curriculum, etc.)
1991
– now
Proposal
Reviewer
Science Mission Directorate (former
Office of Space Science),
NASA;
other
government organizations
1990
– now
Service on
advisory/review panels of government agencies (NASA HQ; NASA centers;
DOE, ...)
Reviewer for
scientific book publishers
Reviewer for numerous scientific journals, book
publishers,
and government agencies
Review
of Scientific Instruments, Remote Sensing Reviews, Optical Engineering,
Journal of Geophysical Research, Geophysical Review Letters, Solar
Physics, various conference proceedings, ...
Numerous other professional activities (government, industry, academia, public)
Privacy policy. Copyright © 2004–2013.
All rights reserved.
Energetic neutral atom imaging - the next step (video, 15 min)
