Giuseppe Cataldo leads the planetary protection efforts of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) Capture, Containment and Return System (CCRS). His expertise is in the design, testing and management of space systems, gained through 10+ years at NASA and earning his doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Giuseppe has contributed to a variety of NASA missions and projects such as:
He first joined NASA in 2009 fully sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA) as one of the two European students selected for the NASA Academy, NASA's premiere leadership program for talented students. During the program, he was one of the select recipients of the John Mather Nobel Scholar Award.
Giuseppe is fond of space policy and contributes to public outreach and educational activities for young students, professionals and the general public in a variety of settings around the world. He speaks six languages and in his spare time, he enjoys playing violin and piano, swimming, hiking, skiing, sailing, reading, traveling and hanging out with his friends.
PhD in Aeronautics and Astronautics
Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering within the Top International Managers in Engineering (TIME) Program
Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering within the High Polytechnic School (ASP) Program
Master's degree in Aeronautical Engineering
Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering
NASA Goddard Sciences & Exploration Directorate Mentoring Award, 2021
NASA Special Act Award (Multi-messenger Astrophysics Probe Study Team), 2021
NASA Goddard Engineering Team Award (JWST Integrated Modeling Team), 2020
Young Scientist Award (Italian Cultural Society of Washington, DC), 2019
AIAA Senior Member, 2019
NASA Early Career Public Achievement Medal, 2017
NASA Group Achievement Award (JWST Core 2 Test Team), 2017
First "Ex-alunno" Prize ("A. Chionna" Middle and Elementary School, Lizzano, Italy), 2015
AIAA Orville and Wilbur Wright Graduate Award, 2014
MIT Arthur Gelb Fellowship, 2012-2013
Honorary Plaque (Mayor of Lizzano, Italy), 2012
Mayoux-Dauriac Prize (ISAE-SUPAERO, France), 2010
Pegasus Award (ISAE-SUPAERO and Polytechnic Institute of Milan), 2010
ESA Research Grant, 2010
NASA John Mather Nobel Scholar Award, 2009
NASA Academy Award (NASA/ESA), 2009
Top Industrial Managers for Europe Award (TIME), 2008
High Polytechnic School Award, 2008
Numerous travel grants (SPIE, IEEE, MIT, NASA)
Systems engineering
Multidisciplinary design optimization
Multifidelity uncertainty quantification
Infrared astronomy
High-precision infrared instrumentation for space, balloon and ground telescopes
Dielectric properties of materials of astrophysical and engineering interest
Origin and evolution of dust in the early universe
Capture, Containment & Return System (CCRS)
Languages: English, Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German.
Referee service for journals (Nature Scientific Reports, Applied Optics, Optics Express, Optics Letters, Applied Physics B, Journal of Low Temperature Physics, IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity, Optical Engineering, Systems Engineering) and conferences (AIAA, AAS - session chair, ISSNAF).
Reviewer: NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) and NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities (NSTGRO) applications.
Cataldo, G., E. Qian, and J. Auclair. 2022. "Multifidelity uncertainty quantification and model validation of large-scale multidisciplinary systems." Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, 8 (03): [10.1117/1.jatis.8.3.038001]
Switzer, E. R., E. M. Barrentine, G. Cataldo, et al. T. Essinger-Hileman, P. A. Ade, C. J. Anderson, A. Barlis, J. Beeman, N. Bellis, A. D. Bolatto, P. C. Breysse, B. T. Bulcha, L.-R. Chevres-Fernanadez, C. Cho, J. A. Connors, N. Ehsan, J. Glenn, J. Golec, J. P. Hays-Wehle, L. A. Hess, A. E. Jahromi, T. Jenkins, M. O. Kimball, A. J. Kogut, L. N. Lowe, P. Mauskopf, J. McMahon, M. Mirzaei, H. Moseley, J. Mugge-Durum, O. Noroozian, T. M. Oxholm, T. Parekh, U.-L. Pen, A. R. Pullen, M. Rahmani, M. M. Ramirez, F. Roselli, K. Shire, G. Siebert, A. K. Sinclair, R. S. Somerville, R. Stephenson, T. R. Stevenson, P. Timbie, J. Termini, J. Trenkamp, C. Tucker, E. Visbal, C. G. Volpert, E. J. Wollack, S. Yang, and L. Y. Yung. 2021. "Experiment for cryogenic large-aperture intensity mapping: instrument design." Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, 7 (04): [10.1117/1.jatis.7.4.044004]
Wollack, E., G. Cataldo, K. Miller, and M. Quijada. 2020. "Infrared properties of high-purity silicon." Optics Letters, 45 (17): 4935-4938 [10.1364/OL.393847]
Cataldo, G., E. M. Barrentine, B. T. Bulcha, et al. N. Ehsan, L. A. Hess, O. Noroozian, T. R. Stevenson, E. J. Wollack, S. H. Moseley, and E. R. Switzer. 2019. "Second-generation Micro-Spec: A compact spectrometer for far-infrared and submillimeter space missions." Acta Astronautica, 162: 155-159 [10.1016/j.actaastro.2019.06.012]
Bulcha, B. T., G. Cataldo, T. R. Stevenson, et al. K. U-Yen, S. H. Moseley, and E. J. Wollack. 2018. "Electromagnetic Design of a Magnetically Coupled Spatial Power Combiner." Journal of Low Temperature Physics, 193: 777-785 [10.1007/s10909-018-1923-2]
Cataldo, G., M. B. Niedner, D. J. Fixsen, and S. H. Moseley. 2017. "Model-based thermal system design optimization for the James Webb Space Telescope." Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems, 3 (4): 044202 [10.1117/1.JATIS.3.4.044002]
Cataldo, G., and E. J. Wollack. 2016. "Submillimeter and far-infrared dielectric properties of thin films." Proc. SPIE 9914, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy VIII, 99142W [10.1117/12.2232648]
Cataldo, G., E. M. Barrentine, A. D. Brown, et al. S. H. Moseley, K. U-Yen, and E. J. Wollack. 2016. "Fabrication and characterization of superconducting resonators." Journal of Visualized Experiments, 111: e53868 [10.3791/53868]
Cataldo, G., E. J. Wollack, A. D. Brown, and K. H. Miller. 2016. "Infrared dielectric properties of low-stress silicon oxide." Optics Letters, 41 (7): 1364-1367 [10.1364/OL.41.001364]
Cataldo, G., S. H. Moseley, and E. J. Wollack. 2015. "A four-pole power-combiner design for far-infrared and submillimeter spectroscopy." Acta Astronautica, 114 (C): 54-59 [10.1016/j.actaastro.2015.04.002]
Cataldo, G., E. J. Wollack, E. Barrentine, et al. A. D. Brown, S. H. Moseley, and K. U-Yen. 2015. "Analysis and calibration techniques for superconducting resonators." Review of Scientific Instruments, 86 (1): 013103 [10.1063/1.4904972]
Cataldo, G., M. Chodas, P. Dave, et al. A. Dixit, S. Hall, R. Harris, D. Hayhurst, F. Mier-Hicks, C. Jewison, J.-D. Ioana, B. Karlow, B. McCarthy, A. Owens, E. Peters, M. Shaw, D. Sternberg, K. Voelbel, and M. Wu. 2014. "Tradespace Investigation of a Telescope Architecture for Next-generation Space Astronomy and Exploration." MIT Technical Reports, SSL (13-14): [http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/92407]
Cataldo, G., W.-T. Hsieh, W.-C. Huang, et al. S. H. Moseley, T. R. Stevenson, and E. J. Wollack. 2014. "Micro-Spec: an ultracompact, high-sensitivity spectrometer for far-infrared and submillimeter astronomy." Applied Optics, 53 (6): 1094-1102 [10.1364/AO.53.001094]
Richey, C. R., R. E. Kinzer, G. Cataldo, et al. E. J. Wollack, J. A. Nuth, D. J. Benford, R. F. Silverberg, and S. A. Rinehart. 2013. "Optical Properties of Iron Silicates in the Infrared to Millimeter as a Function of Wavelength and Temperature." The Astrophysical Journal, 770 (46): 1-12 [10.1088/0004-637X/770/1/46]
Cataldo, G., J. A. Beall, H.-M. Cho, et al. B. McAndrew, M. D. Niemack, and E. J. Wollack. 2012. ""Infrared dielectric properties of low-stress silicon nitride" ." Optics Letters , 37 (20): 4200-4202 [10.1364/OL.37.004200]
Rinehart, S. A., D. J. Benford, G. Cataldo, et al. E. Dwek, R. Henry, R. E. Kinzer, J. A. Nuth, R. F. Silverberg, C. Wheeler, and E. J. Wollack. 2011. ""Measuring the Optical Properties of Astrophysical Dust Analogues: Instrumentation and Methods" ." Applied Optics, 50 (21): 4115-4123 [10.1364/AO.50.004115]
Giuseppe Cataldo leads the planetary protection efforts of the Mars Sample Return (MSR) Capture, Containment and Return System (CCRS). His expertise is in the design, testing and management of space systems, gained through 10+ years at NASA and earning his doctorate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Giuseppe has contributed to a variety of NASA missions and projects such as:
He first joined NASA in 2009 fully sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA) as one of the two European students selected for the NASA Academy, NASA's premiere leadership program for talented students. During the program, he was one of the select recipients of the John Mather Nobel Scholar Award.
Giuseppe is fond of space policy and contributes to public outreach and educational activities for young students, professionals and the general public in a variety of settings around the world. He speaks six languages and in his spare time, he enjoys playing violin and piano, swimming, hiking, skiing, sailing, reading, traveling and hanging out with his friends.
Cataldo, G., E. Qian, and J. Auclair. 2022. "Multifidelity uncertainty quantification and model validation of large-scale multidisciplinary systems." Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems 8 (03): [10.1117/1.jatis.8.3.038001]
Switzer, E. R., E. M. Barrentine, G. Cataldo, et al. T. Essinger-Hileman, P. A. Ade, C. J. Anderson, A. Barlis, J. Beeman, N. Bellis, A. D. Bolatto, P. C. Breysse, B. T. Bulcha, L.-R. Chevres-Fernanadez, C. Cho, J. A. Connors, N. Ehsan, J. Glenn, J. Golec, J. P. Hays-Wehle, L. A. Hess, A. E. Jahromi, T. Jenkins, M. O. Kimball, A. J. Kogut, L. N. Lowe, P. Mauskopf, J. McMahon, M. Mirzaei, H. Moseley, J. Mugge-Durum, O. Noroozian, T. M. Oxholm, T. Parekh, U.-L. Pen, A. R. Pullen, M. Rahmani, M. M. Ramirez, F. Roselli, K. Shire, G. Siebert, A. K. Sinclair, R. S. Somerville, R. Stephenson, T. R. Stevenson, P. Timbie, J. Termini, J. Trenkamp, C. Tucker, E. Visbal, C. G. Volpert, E. J. Wollack, S. Yang, and L. Y. Yung. 2021. "Experiment for cryogenic large-aperture intensity mapping: instrument design." Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems 7 (04): [10.1117/1.jatis.7.4.044004]
Wollack, E., G. Cataldo, K. Miller, and M. Quijada. 2020. "Infrared properties of high-purity silicon." Optics Letters 45 (17): 4935-4938 [10.1364/OL.393847]
Cataldo, G., E. M. Barrentine, B. T. Bulcha, et al. N. Ehsan, L. A. Hess, O. Noroozian, T. R. Stevenson, E. J. Wollack, S. H. Moseley, and E. R. Switzer. 2019. "Second-generation Micro-Spec: A compact spectrometer for far-infrared and submillimeter space missions." Acta Astronautica 162 155-159 [10.1016/j.actaastro.2019.06.012]
Bulcha, B. T., G. Cataldo, T. R. Stevenson, et al. K. U-Yen, S. H. Moseley, and E. J. Wollack. 2018. "Electromagnetic Design of a Magnetically Coupled Spatial Power Combiner." Journal of Low Temperature Physics 193 777-785 [10.1007/s10909-018-1923-2]
Cataldo, G., M. B. Niedner, D. J. Fixsen, and S. H. Moseley. 2017. "Model-based thermal system design optimization for the James Webb Space Telescope." Journal of Astronomical Telescopes, Instruments, and Systems 3 (4): 044202 [10.1117/1.JATIS.3.4.044002]
Cataldo, G., and E. J. Wollack. 2016. "Submillimeter and far-infrared dielectric properties of thin films." Proc. SPIE 9914, Millimeter, Submillimeter, and Far-Infrared Detectors and Instrumentation for Astronomy VIII 99142W [10.1117/12.2232648]
Cataldo, G., E. M. Barrentine, A. D. Brown, et al. S. H. Moseley, K. U-Yen, and E. J. Wollack. 2016. "Fabrication and characterization of superconducting resonators." Journal of Visualized Experiments 111 e53868 [10.3791/53868]
Cataldo, G., E. J. Wollack, A. D. Brown, and K. H. Miller. 2016. "Infrared dielectric properties of low-stress silicon oxide." Optics Letters 41 (7): 1364-1367 [10.1364/OL.41.001364]
Cataldo, G., S. H. Moseley, and E. J. Wollack. 2015. "A four-pole power-combiner design for far-infrared and submillimeter spectroscopy." Acta Astronautica 114 (C): 54-59 [10.1016/j.actaastro.2015.04.002]
Cataldo, G., E. J. Wollack, E. Barrentine, et al. A. D. Brown, S. H. Moseley, and K. U-Yen. 2015. "Analysis and calibration techniques for superconducting resonators." Review of Scientific Instruments 86 (1): 013103 [10.1063/1.4904972]
Cataldo, G., M. Chodas, P. Dave, et al. A. Dixit, S. Hall, R. Harris, D. Hayhurst, F. Mier-Hicks, C. Jewison, J.-D. Ioana, B. Karlow, B. McCarthy, A. Owens, E. Peters, M. Shaw, D. Sternberg, K. Voelbel, and M. Wu. 2014. "Tradespace Investigation of a Telescope Architecture for Next-generation Space Astronomy and Exploration." MIT Technical Reports SSL (13-14): [http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/92407]
Cataldo, G., W.-T. Hsieh, W.-C. Huang, et al. S. H. Moseley, T. R. Stevenson, and E. J. Wollack. 2014. "Micro-Spec: an ultracompact, high-sensitivity spectrometer for far-infrared and submillimeter astronomy." Applied Optics 53 (6): 1094-1102 [10.1364/AO.53.001094]
Richey, C. R., R. E. Kinzer, G. Cataldo, et al. E. J. Wollack, J. A. Nuth, D. J. Benford, R. F. Silverberg, and S. A. Rinehart. 2013. "Optical Properties of Iron Silicates in the Infrared to Millimeter as a Function of Wavelength and Temperature." The Astrophysical Journal 770 (46): 1-12 [10.1088/0004-637X/770/1/46]
Cataldo, G., J. A. Beall, H.-M. Cho, et al. B. McAndrew, M. D. Niemack, and E. J. Wollack. 2012. ""Infrared dielectric properties of low-stress silicon nitride" ." Optics Letters 37 (20): 4200-4202 [10.1364/OL.37.004200]
Rinehart, S. A., D. J. Benford, G. Cataldo, et al. E. Dwek, R. Henry, R. E. Kinzer, J. A. Nuth, R. F. Silverberg, C. Wheeler, and E. J. Wollack. 2011. ""Measuring the Optical Properties of Astrophysical Dust Analogues: Instrumentation and Methods" ." Applied Optics 50 (21): 4115-4123 [10.1364/AO.50.004115]