Plenary Speakers
All 2026 IVEC plenary talks take place at 8 am in San Carlos 3-4. Don’t miss them!
TUESDAY, APRIL 21, 2026
“Space Applications and the Role of Vacuum Electronics in Electric Propulsion”
Dan M. Goebel, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Space is an exciting arena these days with new science missions, launch vehicles, communications constellations, Earth observation methods, and various satellites of all sizes and capabilities in the news. New Space represents a revolution in using space in many non-traditional ways, and new industries and startups in this area are emerging every day. Technologies that had their birth in the vacuum electronics industry are being exploited and adapted in the rush to provide new space capabilities. This is most apparent in the adoption of electric propulsion in many of the new satellites and constellations, which is because of the great advantages electric propulsion provides in reducing the amount of propellant needed to be launched for any mission application. This talk will discuss the emerging New Space applications and the describe some of the vacuum-device technologies important in electric thrusters and satellites.
Dr. Dan M. Goebel received a B.S. in physics, an M.S. in electrical engineering, and a Ph.D. in applied plasma physics from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1977, 1978 and 1981 respectively. He is a Fellow and Senior Research Scientist at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and an Adjunct Prof. of Electrical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering at UCLA. At JPL he is the Chief Engineer of the Psyche Mission and also responsible for the development of advanced electric propulsion systems and other spacecraft technologies. Previously he worked at Hughes Research Laboratories and Hughes/Boeing Space before joining JPL in 2003. Dr. Goebel is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, and Fellow of the AIAA, IEEE, and APS. He is the author of over 175 technical journal papers, 180 conference papers, two textbooks on Electric Propulsion published in 2008 and 2023, and holds 60 patents.
https://scienceandtechnology.jpl.nasa.gov/people/d_goebel
Dan M. Goebel, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Space is an exciting arena these days with new science missions, launch vehicles, communications constellations, Earth observation methods, and various satellites of all sizes and capabilities in the news. New Space represents a revolution in using space in many non-traditional ways, and new industries and startups in this area are emerging every day. Technologies that had their birth in the vacuum electronics industry are being exploited and adapted in the rush to provide new space capabilities. This is most apparent in the adoption of electric propulsion in many of the new satellites and constellations, which is because of the great advantages electric propulsion provides in reducing the amount of propellant needed to be launched for any mission application. This talk will discuss the emerging New Space applications and the describe some of the vacuum-device technologies important in electric thrusters and satellites.
Dr. Dan M. Goebel received a B.S. in physics, an M.S. in electrical engineering, and a Ph.D. in applied plasma physics from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1977, 1978 and 1981 respectively. He is a Fellow and Senior Research Scientist at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and an Adjunct Prof. of Electrical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering at UCLA. At JPL he is the Chief Engineer of the Psyche Mission and also responsible for the development of advanced electric propulsion systems and other spacecraft technologies. Previously he worked at Hughes Research Laboratories and Hughes/Boeing Space before joining JPL in 2003. Dr. Goebel is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, and Fellow of the AIAA, IEEE, and APS. He is the author of over 175 technical journal papers, 180 conference papers, two textbooks on Electric Propulsion published in 2008 and 2023, and holds 60 patents.
https://scienceandtechnology.jpl.nasa.gov/people/d_goebel
TUESDAY, APRIL 22 2026
“Voyager’s TWTs: A Half Century of Deep Space Communication Reliability”
Dan M. Goebel, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
As Voyager 1 approaches a distance of one light-day from Earth (approximately 16 billion miles), its continued operation highlights the remarkable longevity of its onboard hardware.The Voyager mission provides a powerful example of the reliability of vacuum electronics and offers important lessons for future deep space and interstellar communication systems. At the heart of this achievement are the Traveling Wave Tubes that have enabled reliable communication for nearly 50 years.
This talk reviews the design and heritage of the X-band and S-band TWTs used on voyager. Originally designed for a five-year mission, these devices have far exceeded expectations, operating under extreme conditions including radiation exposure and thermal cycling. At ranges where received signals are extraordinarily weak, these systems continue to support the deep space link.
Dr. Dan M. Goebel received a B.S. in physics, an M.S. in electrical engineering, and a Ph.D. in applied plasma physics from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1977, 1978 and 1981 respectively. He is a Fellow and Senior Research Scientist at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and an Adjunct Prof. of Electrical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering at UCLA. At JPL he is the Chief Engineer of the Psyche Mission and also responsible for the development of advanced electric propulsion systems and other spacecraft technologies. Previously he worked at Hughes Research Laboratories and Hughes/Boeing Space before joining JPL in 2003. Dr. Goebel is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, and Fellow of the AIAA, IEEE, and APS. He is the author of over 175 technical journal papers, 180 conference papers, two textbooks on Electric Propulsion published in 2008 and 2023, and holds 60 patents.
https://scienceandtechnology.jpl.nasa.gov/people/d_goebel
Dan M. Goebel, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
As Voyager 1 approaches a distance of one light-day from Earth (approximately 16 billion miles), its continued operation highlights the remarkable longevity of its onboard hardware.The Voyager mission provides a powerful example of the reliability of vacuum electronics and offers important lessons for future deep space and interstellar communication systems. At the heart of this achievement are the Traveling Wave Tubes that have enabled reliable communication for nearly 50 years.
This talk reviews the design and heritage of the X-band and S-band TWTs used on voyager. Originally designed for a five-year mission, these devices have far exceeded expectations, operating under extreme conditions including radiation exposure and thermal cycling. At ranges where received signals are extraordinarily weak, these systems continue to support the deep space link.
Dr. Dan M. Goebel received a B.S. in physics, an M.S. in electrical engineering, and a Ph.D. in applied plasma physics from the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1977, 1978 and 1981 respectively. He is a Fellow and Senior Research Scientist at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and an Adjunct Prof. of Electrical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering at UCLA. At JPL he is the Chief Engineer of the Psyche Mission and also responsible for the development of advanced electric propulsion systems and other spacecraft technologies. Previously he worked at Hughes Research Laboratories and Hughes/Boeing Space before joining JPL in 2003. Dr. Goebel is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, and Fellow of the AIAA, IEEE, and APS. He is the author of over 175 technical journal papers, 180 conference papers, two textbooks on Electric Propulsion published in 2008 and 2023, and holds 60 patents.
https://scienceandtechnology.jpl.nasa.gov/people/d_goebel
