Madrid, Community of Madrid, Spain
Jesús Manuel Muñoz Tejeda holds a PhD in Space Propulsion from Imperial College London (co-funded by ESA) and is CEO and co-founder of PERSEI Space, a company solely dedicated to tackling the space debris crisis. With prior research at ESA-ESTEC, CERN, NASA-JPL, Stanford, and the Swiss Space Center, Jesús holds extensive technical and strategic expertise. ... but to me, what is more important for a professional is *to get things done*! ▪️ SPACE TECHNICAL EXPERIENCE ~ -> Systems Engineering (experienced in multiple countries, 4 years) -> Propulsion Subsystem (research at PhD level, 4 years) -> ADCS, Attitude Control and Determination Subsystem (founder of DZH Dynamics, 3 years) -> Thermal Subsystem (+3 years of experience) -> Communication Subsystem (research at PhD level, 4 years) ▪️ SPACE BUSINESS, LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT EXPERIENCE ~ -> Leadership (founder of PERSEI Space, since 2023 and DZH Dynamics, 3 years) -> Project Management (Acatec Aeronautics, 2 years) -> Investing (personal activities, including: stock and crypto market analyses, crowdlending, Dollar-Cost-Average strategies) --- --- ▪️CAREER INTERESTS~ Sustainability of the space sector (mainly, green propellants, space debris management). Space Technologies, Space Business Applications, Space Propulsion, Satellite Communications, Microgravity, ADCS. ▪️PERSONAL TOP SKILLS~ • Logical Reasoning, seeking out confidently relevant facts associated with a problem: -> Top 8% of population evaluated according to ICC -> Optimization and cost analysis experienced ---------- • Aware of own Responsibility, taking timely decisions and accepting full accountability: -> Top 9% of population evaluated according to ICC -> Projects leadership with outstanding results ---------- • Ability to Work Cooperatively with people from an international environment: -> +5 years working with people from all Europe -> Several experiences abroad ---------- • Demonstrated Motivation to learn new skills and enhance knowledge: -> Extra courses while being employed and student -> Actively looking for new challenges ---------- • Effective Communication in challenging situations, delivering points in a structured manner -> Presentations Training (Oral and Written) -> Professional Experience exposing results *Personal & Participatory Competences Reports by ICC: Instituto Ingeniería del Conocimiento available* ▪️IT MAIN SKILLS~ -> CATIA P3 V5R21 -> MATLAB -> Microsoft Office -> GMAT -> Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) -> LáTeX
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and CoFounder of PERSEI Space S.L. At PERSEI Space, we develop: “PROPELLANT-LESS PROPULSION DEVICES” to tackle two urgent space needs: 1– Space debris mitigation for a) space vehicles to be launched and b) for vehicles already in-orbit (Active Debris Removal, ADR) 2– In-Orbit-Servicing (IoS) These systems are based on the propellant-less propulsion technology: Electrodynamic Tethers Key milestones achieved: • Incubated at ESA-BIC, Madrid (2024-2026) • Affiliated entity in the European Innovation Council Transition project E.T.PACK-F • Partner in the European Innovation Council Pathfinder project E.T.COMPACT • Signature of ESA Zero Debris Charter (ESA-ESOC, in Darmstadt and ILA show in Berlin) • In-Orbit-Demonstration led by PERSEI Space by the EC/ESA Flight Ticket Initiative • Technical Coordinator of the ESA Zero Debris Technical Domain 2: “Guarantee timely and successful clearance”
Research in Propellant-less propulsion and Electrostatic flight in the Robotics Modelling and Simulation group (NASA JVRP programme) under the supervision of Dr. Marco Quadrelli. • Developed advanced computational models to study electrostatic interactions between spacecraft and plasma environments around airless celestial bodies such as the Earth's Moon, Phobos, and Deimos. • Designed and implemented from scratch two in-house simulation codes: E-PIC (2 dimensional Particle-In-Cell -PIC- plasma solver) and E-QUIL-DER (Equilibrium Point Determination algorithm) to model plasma dynamics, compute potential distributions, and identify natural and artificial equilibrium points enabling electrostatic flight. • Performed parametric analyses showing that low electrostatic potentials (≈10 V) can sustain flight near small moons, while higher voltages (≈10³ V) are required for larger bodies. • Investigated multi-sphere and tethered E-Glider configurations to enhance electrostatic control, maneuverability, and system stability. • Defined the power and design requirements for future electrostatic spacecraft capable of hovering and station-keeping without traditional thrusters. • Contributed to NASA-JPL’s long-term vision of sustainable planetary exploration, extending the E-Glider concept originally developed under the NIAC (NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts) programme.
Researcher (PhD) at the ESA Networking/Partnering Initiative (NPI-OSIP) programme. The NPI-OSIP programme supports the technology development of my PhD thesis "Computational and Experimental characterization of Water fuelled Hall Effect Thrusters" co-funding the activity together with Imperial College London. During the experimental campaings at ESTEC, I conducted end-to-end tests demonstrating for the first time the practicality of water electrolysis propulsion for space electric propulsion (with Hall Effect Thrusters), using the gases producted by a water electrolyzer and achieving stable ignition of the thruster with oxygen (anode) and hydrogen (for the cathode). I also participated in the 1st European Summer School for Electric Propulsion Spacecraft, held at ESA-ESTEC facilities.
Engineer (PhD) at Imperial Space Propulsion Laboratory (SpaceLab, Aeronautics Department), in the field of [Electric/Plasma Propulsion] devices. ▪️Project Description~ Computational and experimental characterisation of WATER-FUELED ELECTRIC PROPULSION devices of the type “Hall Effect Thruster”. In particular, WATER can be used as a propellant in two different ways: -> Direct water vapour feed -> Water electrolysis (oxygen for the anode and hydrogen for the cathode). These kind of devices can operate on a dual mode chemical-electric propulsion, by producing in-situ electrolysis of water, using hydrogen-oxygen respectively. ▪️Tasks Description~ -> Development of plasma simulations using UnReal engine (C++) and in-house particle-in-cell software to characterize the performance of the new generation of Electric Space Propulsion devices -> Radiofrequency excitation of Hall Effect Thrusters, designing and operating a custom radiofrequency station -> Laboratory testing in vacuum chamber facilities operating turbopumps, fluidics, servomotors, power supplies and in charge of the mechanical assembly of electric propulsion devices and a thrust balance -> Performance integration in a whole satellite system, combining the propulsion subsystem with others in order to get the maximum efficiency of the whole spacecraft. -> For a full list of journal and conference papers, please visit ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jesus-Munoz-Tejeda ▪️Other activities and groups~ -> Licensed to operate radiofrequency equipment by the UK RadioFrequency entity Ofcom -> Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) in Aerodynamics (2021) and in the Flight Simulator (2022) -> Clean Room activities at the "London Centre of Nanotechnology" Website: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/people/jesus.munoz.tejeda
Plasma physics characterization of water fueled Electric Propulsion devices of the type Hall Effect Thruster, at the Stanford Plasma Propulsion Laboratory. -> Diagnostic tools: Langmuir probes, Quadrupole Langmuir Probes, ExB probe (Wein filter), Pearson current monitor. -> Measurement of plasma properties: oxygen plasma composition, floating potential, plasma potential, electron temperature, plasma density; at diferent locations from the thruster channel exit This research was conducted from the 29th of April to the 1st of August 2023. Research supervised by Prof. Mark A. Cappelli