NATICK, Mass., July 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Dr. Vlad Hruby, an electric propulsion pioneer who founded Busek Co. Inc. in 1985, has been awarded the 2024 Stuhlinger Medal for Outstanding Achievement in Electric Propulsion. Presented to him at the 38th International Electric Propulsion Conference in Toulouse, France, the Stuhlinger Medal is the highest honor in the field of electric propulsion for spacecraft.
Through Dr. Hruby’s scientific leadership at Busek, 100s of satellites in space are equipped with Busek’s electric thrusters, including those for the US Air Force, the US Space Force, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the European Space Agency, NASA, OneWeb Satellites, and numerous others.
Since 2005, the Stuhlinger Medal has been bestowed biennially by the Electric Rocket Propulsion Society (ERPS), the main professional society in the field of electric propulsion, to persons who have made outstanding contributions to the science, technology, and development of electric propulsion. In becoming the Medal’s 20th recipient, Dr. Hruby solidifies Busek’s longstanding position as a leader and center of excellence in the space industry.
In nomination letters, some of the best academic and strategic minds in aerospace noted that Dr. Hruby’s work has enabled missions for US national security assets, international astrophysics demonstrations, and lunar and planetary science missions, adding unanimously that they can think of no more worthy scientist or engineer for the Stuhlinger Medal than Dr. Hruby. For nearly four decades, Dr. Hruby pushed electric propulsion from theory to application, and in the process, Busek has become an internationally recognized supplier of innovative, high performing, and high-production-rate spacecraft propulsion systems.
Dr. Hruby is the primary inventor or co-inventor on 16 awarded patents and author or co-author of over 100 published scientific reports. He is the creator of the first US-built Hall Effect thruster flow in-space, the first electrospray thrusters demonstrated in space, micro-pulsed plasma thrusters, and lead research towards adopting numerous propellants for spaceflight. His contributions have been previously recognized with other commendations, including engineering awards from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), the Joint Army Navy NASA Air Force (JANNAF) Outstanding Achievement in Spacecraft Propulsion, the NASA Achievement Award for Outstanding Performance, and the NASA Exceptional Public Achievement Medal. In 2018, he was named an AIAA Fellow in recognition of his extraordinary innovations in the development of propulsion systems for precise spatial and attitude control of spacecraft. In 2020, he was formally recognized by the Massachusetts House of Representatives for “35 years of Achievement in Engineering, Science and Spacecraft Propulsion”.
About Busek Co. Inc.: Busek builds the future of space by engaging in applied research, hardware development, and specialty manufacturing in space propulsion, emphasizing electric propulsion, power electronics and material science. They are a leading source for advanced electric propulsion thrusters for use on military, government, and commercial satellites. To learn more about Dr. Hruby and his work at Busek, visit www.busek.com.
About the Electric Rocket Propulsion Society (ERPS): ERPS increases awareness of the research, development, and applications of electric propulsion systems and related technologies. For more information about ERPS, visit https://electricrocket.org/.
