Dr. Michael G. Ryschkewitsch is currently serving as a member of the FAA’s Human Space Flight Occupant Safety Aerospace Rulemaking Committee (SpARC 460) to make recommendations on the potential next steps for the FAA in overseeing and regulating the human spaceflight industry. He also serves as a Steering Committee member for the National Academies study “A Science Strategy for the Human Exploration of Mars”. He previously chaired the Engineering and Science Interface Panel for the National Academies’ Decadal Survey on Biological and Physical Sciences Research in Space (2023–2032). He serves on the University of Maryland’s Department of Aerospace Board of Visitors (ABOV).
Dr. Ryschkewitsch served as Sector Head for the Space Exploration Sector at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). He played a key role in securing major NASA missions for APL, including Dragonfly and the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe. He also contributed significantly to the development of systems and instruments for the Europa Clipper mission. Notably, he oversaw the development and launch of the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), the world’s first full-scale planetary defense test mission, despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. Additionally, the Parker Solar Probe, launched in 2018 under his leadership, continues its groundbreaking journey into the Sun’s corona with its first closest approach late in 2024.
Before joining APL, Dr. Ryschkewitsch had a distinguished career at NASA, including seven years as NASA’s Chief Engineer. His contributions to the nation’s space program earned him numerous honors and awards, including the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the NASA Medal for Outstanding Leadership, the Robert Baumann Award for contributions to mission success, and the National Space Club and Foundation’s Norman J. Baker Astronautics Engineer Award, which recognizes engineers for their outstanding contributions to the space program. He is a Fellow of the AIAA.