Mr. Mounir Alafrangy is the Space Exploration Manager for Deep Space Solutions (DSS). With a master’s in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from The George Washington University, 2018, Mr. Alafrangy has over 20 years of entrepreneurial experience spearheading several innovations from concept to prototype as well as providing project management in diverse fields including mechanical and systems engineering, and prototype development.

Mr. Alafrangy knows a bit about isolation and being quarantined. In October 2019, he successfully completed a 45-day confined space mission at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. He was one of four crew members, known as analog astronauts, who were selected from a large pool of applicants to be part of the Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA) Mission XX. HERA is a ground-based analog used by NASA’s Human Research Program to study the effects of isolation and confinement on humans. The research being done there will help NASA better understand the hazards of human spaceflight as it prepares to send astronauts to the Moon and on to Mars and bring them safely home. During his analog mission to the Martian moon of Phobos, he participated in activities similar to those performed on the International Space Station such as simulated cargo transfers with the Canadarm, virtual EVAs, Lunar Landing Control, Spaceship Maintenance, and sample evaluation.

While completing his degree at GWU, Mr. Alafrangy’s research focused on creating mechanisms that will mitigate the physiological risks associated with long duration space travel and improve human health on deep space missions.