Journal Articles
2026
W. McAuley, A. Brimmer, E. Choi, K. C. Riffel, G. Smith, E. Lui, A. O’Connor, K. Taminger, J. W. Sowards, A. J. Ramirez, and B. Panton, “Laser Beam Welding Experiment in Vacuum and Microgravity: System Development, Parabolic-Flight Demonstration, in-Situ Diagnostics, and Preliminary Results,” Acta Astronautica, vol. 248, pp. 343–355, Nov. 2026, doi: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2026.05.036.
K. C. Riffel, E. Choi, A. Brimmer, W. McAuley, B. Panton, A. Nassiri, A. O’Connor, L. S. Littles, B. L. Rupp, C. S. Protz, J. W. Sowards, K. Taminger, and A. J. Ramirez, “Pulsed Laser Welding of AISI 316L Stainless Steel under Space Conditions,” Materials & Design, vol. 266, p. 116100, Jun. 2026, doi: 10.1016/j.matdes.2026.116100.
J. W. Sowards, E. Crabtree, A. O’Connor, F. N. Michael, and O. Mireles, “Solidification Cracking of Refractory Alloys: A Computational and Machine Learning Study to Investigate Composition-Dependence for Improved Weldability and Additive Manufacturability,” Materials & Design, vol. 263, p. 115679, Mar. 2026, doi: 10.1016/j.matdes.2026.115679.
2024
A. O’Connor, C. Park, W. E. Bolch, A. Enqvist, and M. V. Manuel, “Designing lightweight neutron absorbing composites using a comprehensive absorber areal density metric,” Applied Radiation and Isotopes, vol. 206, p. 111227, Apr. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.apradiso.2024.111227.
A. O’Connor, C. Park, J. E. Baciak, and M. V. Manuel, “Mitigating space radiation using magnesium(-lithium) and boron carbide composites,” Acta Astronautica, vol. 216, pp. 37–43, Mar. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2023.12.013.
2018
D. S. Tucker, A. O’Connor, C. Romnes, C. Hill, X. Zhu, and G. Thompson, “Reprocessing Leader to Lower Thermal Conductivity of ZnO Thermoelectrics,” Journal of Materials Science & Nanotechnology, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 1–5, 2018.
2015
D. S. Tucker, A. O’Connor, and R. Hickman, “A Methodology for Producing Uniform Distribution of UO2 in a Tungsten Matrix,” Journal of Physical Science and Application, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 255–262, 2015, doi: 10.17265/2159-5348/2015.04.002.
Technical Reports
2025
Z. S. Courtright, J. M. Jones, A. J. Blanchard, J. M. Bonebrake, T. C. Bryan, W. C. Evans, A. T. Fox, C. J. Francis, C. W. Hill, E. K. Jaynes, B. A. Kimbrel, F. E. Ledbetter, I. K. Lu, A. O’Connor, S. R. Peeples, C. S. Protz, C. E. Roberts, B. L. Rupp, P. D. Shake, J. W. Sowards, R. Subedi, J. E. Koehne, and M. Seol, “In-Space Manufacturing Portfolio Plan,” NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA/TM-20250004020, Apr. 2025. Available at https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20250004020
A. O’Connor, L. Littles, B. Richter, E. Glaessgen, A. Karma, D. Matson, P. Voorhees, F. Michael, B. Rupp, M. SanSoucie, J. Sowards, J. West, G. R. Weber, J. D. Pribe, V. Yamakov, S. R. Yeratapally, V. Cole, and R. Waxman, “Reduced Gravity and Microgravity Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME),” NASA Technical Memorandum, NASA/TM-20250000717, Apr. 2025. Available at https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20250000717
2024
T. Boswell, A. O’Connor, M. Ibekwe, D. Popok, L. Fabisinski, and J. Mulqueen, “Study Report: LAMP 2b (Discman) Design Analysis Cycle 2 Level 0 Design Study,” NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA/TM-20250007979, Jul. 2024. Available at https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20250007979
Technical Conferences
Paper/summary and talk
2025
AIAA Aviation Forum and ASCEND 2025
“ISMAC: Marshall Space Flight Center’s In-Space Manufacturing Advancement Center”
Benjamin L. Rupp, Mallory James, Parker D. Shake, Justin McElderry, William C. Evans, Andrew O’Connor, Zachary S. Courtright, Emma K. Jaynes, Sydney Calhoun, Ilana Lu, Brandon Phillips, Steven Burlingame, Christopher S. Protz, Kane Bergeron, James Lydon, Irene Prado
July 16 in Las Vegas, NV
Paper available at https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20250006056
Presentation available at https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20250007250
Citable as doi:10.2514/6.2025-4121
AIAA SciTech 2025
“Establishing an In-Space Joining Ecosystem at NASA Marshall via Laser Beam Welding” in Manufacturing For and In Space
Andrew O’Connor, Jonathan M Bonebrake, Thomas C Bryan, Zachary S Courtright, Charles T Cowen, Ellis R Crabtree, Will C Evans, John C Ivester, Emma K Jaynes, Louise S Littles, Christopher S Protz, Benjmain L Rupp, Parker D Shake, Raju Subedi, Jeffrey W Sowards
4:30pm on Wed, Jan 8 at the Hyatt Regency Orlando, Orlando FL
Paper available at https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20240015580
Presentation available at https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20250000018
2019
2019 ANS Winter Meeting
“An extended-temperature, volumetric source model for betavoltaic power generation” in Isotopes Radiation Division: General
Andrew O’Connor, Michele Viola Manuel, Harry Shaw
5:40pm on Tues, Nov 19 in Virginia B at the Marriott Wardman Park, Washington DC
Full-text author’s manuscript now available on PubSpace at https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/labs/pmc/articles/PMC8269951/
Citable as doi:10.13182/T30591
2015
Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space 2015
“Methodology for Producing a Uniform Distribution of UO2 in a Tungsten Matrix”
Dennis S. Tucker, Andrew O’Connor, Robert Hickman, Jeramie Broadway, Grace Belancik
Feb 23–26 in Albuquerque, NM
Paper #5022. Talk given by Dennis S. Tucker
Talk only
2026
TMS 2026
“Laser Beam Welding Benchmark Experiments Performed in Reduced Gravity and Vacuum“
Andrew O’Connor, Emma Jaynes, Benjamin Rupp, Louise Littles, Thomas Bryan, Christopher Protz, Jennifer Jones, Jeffrey Sowards
Thurs, Mar 19 at the 155th Annual TMS Meeting, San Diego, CA
“In-Space Laser Forming Simulated Under Thermal Vacuum (TVAC) Conditions“
Andrew O’Connor, Benjamin L. Rupp, Jonathan M. Bonebrake, Nathan Fripp, Brian Valdez, Ellis R. Crabtree, John C. Ivester
Wed, Mar 18 at the 155th Annual TMS Meeting, San Diego, CA
2025
76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC)
“Laser Beam Welding Experiment in Vacuum and Microgravity: System Development, Parabolic-Flight Demonstration, In-Situ Diagnostics, and Results“
Eugene Choi, Aaron Brimmer, Will McAuley, Kaue C. Riffel, Grant Smith, Edward Lui, Andrew O’Connor, Louise S. Littles, Will Evans, Karen Taminger, Jeffrey W. Sowards, Boyd Panton, Antonio J. Ramirez
Mon, Sep 29 in Sydney, Australia
AWS Professional Program 2025
“Laser Beam Welding in Thermal Vacuum and in Microgravity to Mature In-Space Welding“
Andrew O’Connor, Jonathan Bonebrake, Aaron Brimmer, Thomas Bryan, Charles Cowen, Bill Doggett, William Evans, Micah Hardyman, Aliya Hutley, John Ivester, Emma Jaynes, Louise Littles, Matthew Mahlin, Christopher Protz, Benjamin Rupp, Derrick Seubert, Parker Shake, Jeffrey Sowards, Alex Sowell, Raju Subedi, Brace White, Jennifer Jones
Wed, Sep 10 in Chicago, IL
“Laser Forming of Sheet Metal in Thermal Vacuum (TVAC)“
Benjamin Rupp, Andrew O’Connor, Jonathan M. Bonebrake, Ellis R. Crabtree, Ayman Girgis, John C. Ivester, Jeffrey W. Sowards, Brian Valdez, Jennifer M. Jones
Wed, Sep 10 in Chicago, IL
Talk given by Andrew O’Connor
Space Science Week – Spring Meeting 2025
“Research Infrastructure for Decadal Science Campaigns: MATRICES“
Andrew O’Connor
Wed, Apr 2 at the Committee on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space, Washington, DC
PHITS Workshop 2025
“Designing lightweight neutron absorbing composites using a comprehensive absorber areal density metric“
Andrew O’Connor, Wesley E. Bolch, Andreas Enqvist, Cheol Park, Michele V. Manuel
Wed, Feb 19 in Tokai, Japan
TMS 2025“In-Space Laser Forming Simulated Under Thermal Vacuum Conditions” in Advanced Laser Manufacturing of High-Performance Materials
Andrew O’Connor, Jonathan M Bonebrake, Thomas C Bryan, Charles T Cowen, Ellis R Crabtree, William C Evans, Nathan Fripp, John C Ivester, Emma K Jaynes, Louise S Littles, Benjmain L Rupp, Zachary S Courtright
*This talk was withdrawn due to restrictions on government travel.
2024
Defense Manufacturing Conference 2024
“A Combined Computational, Experimental, and Technology Development Approach to In-Space Laser Manufacturing Maturation at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center” in Manufacturing For and In Space
Andrew O’Connor, Jonathan M Bonebrake, Thomas C Bryan, Zachary S Courtright, Charles T Cowen, Ellis R Crabtree, Will C Evans, Nathan Fripp, John C Ivester, Emma K Jaynes, Louise S Littles, Christopher S Protz, Benjmain L Rupp, Jeffrey W Sowards
1:00am on Thurs, Dec 5 at the Austin Convention Center, Austin TX
AWS Professional Program 2024
“Maturation of In-space Welding in Reduced Gravity and Reduced Pressure Environments Through Progression to Suborbital Flight Experiments” in Joining Process Studies
A. O’Connor, T. Bryan, Z. Courtright, C. Cowen, W. Evans, E. Jaynes, L. Littles, C. Protz, B. Rupp, J. Sowards
8:40am on Thurs, Oct 17 in W307 A at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando FL
“Computational and Physics-Based Modeling for the Development of in-Space Welding Technology” in Modeling and Simulation
J. Sowards, E. Crabtree, A. O’Connor, C. Protz
3:40pm on Tues, Oct 15 in W307 A at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando FL
TechConnect World 2024
“Laser Beam Welding for in-Space Joining Demonstrated Under Vacuum on the Ground and By Parabolic Flight Experiments” in Advanced Manufacturing in Space: Fabrication Processes for Space
E. Choi, A. Brimmer, W. McAuley, B. Panton, A. Ramirez, W. Evans, A. O’Connor, Z. Courtright, J.W. Sowards
2:30pm on Tues, Jun 18 in Annapolis 1-2 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, National Harbor MD
Talk given by Andrew O’Connor
TMS 2024
“An Open-Source Numerical Model for Mitigating Refractory Alloy Hot Cracking Susceptibility” in Additive Manufacturing of Refractory Metallic Materials: Process Development
Jeffrey W Sowards, Andrew O’Connor, Fredrick N Michael, Carly J Romnes, Fernando Reyes Tirado, and Omar Mireles
9:10am on Mon, Mar 4 in Rainbow Spring II at the Hyatt Regency Orlando, Orlando FL
Talk given by Andrew O’Connor
2022
APS4DS 2022
“High-temperature Betavoltaic above the Cytherean Surface (HIBIsCuS)” in Advanced Power Concepts (Beta-voltaics and Small RTGs) of the 2022 Conference on Advanced Power Systems for Deep Space Exploration
Andrew O’Connor, Harry C. Shaw, Michele V. Manuel
1:40pm on Thurs, Sep 1 (virtual)
TMS 2022
“Employing a semi-quantitative system to elucidate particle spacing in particle-reinforced composite” in Characterization of Minerals, Metals and Materials 2022
Andrew O’Connor, Cheol Park, Michele V. Manuel
3:55pm on Tues, Mar 1 in 207B at the Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim CA
2020
TMS 2020
“Lightweight Radiation Shielding Using Metal Matrix Composites” in Metal-Matrix Composites: Analysis, Modeling, Observations and Interpretations
Andrew O’Connor, Wesley E Bolch, and Michele V. Manuel
5:05pm on Tues, Feb 25 in 31A at the San Diego Convention Center, San Diego CA
2019
NASA Langley Research Center
“Lightweight Neutron Radiation Shielding using Metal Matrix Composites”
Andrew O’Connor
10:30am on Wed, Nov 20 in Hampton, VA
2017
Nuclear and Emerging Technologies for Space 2017
“High Temperature Oxide Thermoelectric Materials for RTGs” in Fuels and Materials: Novel Thermoelectric Materials Development
D Tucker, A O’Connor, C Hill, C Romnes
3:30pm on Mon, Feb 27 in Captiva B at the Marriott Orlando Airport Lakeside, Orlando FL
Talk given by Andrew O’Connor