Rutgers logo
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Rutgers logo
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Rutgers logo
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Rutgers logo
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Steven Berg

Assistant Professor

Head shot of male with short hair, wearing a blue suit, blue shirt, and blue tie.
Location

School of Engineering
98 Brett Road, A260
Piscataway, NJ 08854

Phone

848-445-5521

Email

steven.berg@rutgers.edu

Website

https://sites.rutgers.edu/space-lab/

Area Of Expertise Spacecraft and rocket propulsion, propellants and energetics, spacecraft environments and operations, and general applications of plasma chemistry

Operational Unit Faculty

Research Interests

Spacecraft and rocket propulsion, propellants and energetics, spacecraft environments and operations, and general applications of plasma chemistry. Dr. Berg’s research involves using fundamentals of chemistry and plasma physics to solve problems related to aerospace propulsion and spaceflight. Current research is focused on development and understanding of multimode spacecraft propulsion (using both chemical and electric propulsion), development and analysis of novel propellants, spacecraft operations and logistics featuring propulsion, and plasma chemistry especially of electrosprays for propulsion and other applications such as medicine and manufacturing.

Selected Publications

  • Berg, S. P., and Rovey J. L., “Assessment of Multi-Mode Spacecraft Micropropulsion Systems,” Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 54, no. 3, pp. 592-601, 2017.
  • Berg, S.P. and Rovey, J.L., "Assessment of Imidazole-Based Energetic Ionic Liquids as Dual-Mode Spacecraft Propellants," Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 29, Issue 2, pp. 339-351, 2013.
  • Berg, S.P. and Rovey, J.L., "Decomposition of Monopropellant Blends of Hydroxylammonium Nitrate and Imidazole-based Ionic Liquid Fuels," Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 29, Issue 1, pp. 125-135, 2013.
  • Wainwright, M. J., Rovey, J. L., Miller, S. W., Prince, B. D., and Berg, S. P., “Hydroxylammonium Nitrate Species in a Monopropellant Electrospray Plume,” Journal of Propulsion and Power, Vol. 35, No. 5, pp. 922-929, 2019.
  • Rovey, J. L., Lyne, C., Mundahl, A., Rasmont, N., Glascock, M., Wainwright, M., and Berg, S. P., “Review of Multimode Space Propulsion,” Progress in Aerospace Sciences, Vol. 118, October 2020.
  • Broemmelsiek, E. J, Rovey, J.L., and Berg, S. P., “Effect of Metal Sequestrants on the Decomposition of Hydroxylammonium Nitrate,” Recent Developments in Catalysts for Space Thrusters Using Green Monopropellants, special issue of Catalysts, edited by G. L. Vaghjiani and C. Oommen, Vol. 11, No. 12, December 2021.

Education

•    Ph.D., Aerospace Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2015
•    M.S., Aerospace Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2012 
•    B.S., Aerospace Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2010