Jonathon Hill is a mission planner at ASU's Mars Space Flight Facility where he operates the THEMIS camera currently orbiting Mars on NASA's 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft. He previously operated the Mini-TES instruments on the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity for over five years, and will participate in mission operations for the OSIRIS-REx sample return mission to the asteroid Bennu (instrument operations for OTES, the OSIRIS-REx Thermal Emission Spectrometer) and the Europa Clipper mission to Jupiter's icy moon Europa (instrument operations for E-THEMIS, the Europa Thermal Emission Imaging System). He graduated from Arizona State University with degrees in Aerospace Engineering, Geological Sciences and Russian, and in his free time, is currently finishing up a PhD in Geological Sciences with a focus on studying salt deposits in the southern highlands of Mars.
Geological Sciences (Ph.D.) 2012-Present
Arizona State University Tempe, AZ
Geological Sciences (M.S.) 2012-2016
Arizona State University Tempe, AZ
Aerospace Engineering (M.S.) 2005-2009
Arizona State University Tempe, AZ
Aerospace Engineering (B.S.E.)
Russian (B.A.) 2000 - 2005
Arizona State University Tempe, AZ
Russian Language Certificate
St. Petersburg State University 2005
Center for Russian Language and Culture St. Petersburg, Russia
NASA Group Achievement Award 2015
Mars Odyssey Comet Siding Spring Operations Team
NASA Group Achievement Award 2014
MER Science and Operations Team
NASA Group Achievement Award 2008
MER 3rd and 4th Extended Mission Team
Boy Scouts of America – Eagle Scout Rank 1999
Troop 148, Grand Canyon Council
American Geophysical Union
The 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft and the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) have been acquiring infrared images of Mars for more than 17 years. The best-quality images from the mission have been compiled into a global mosaic at 100 m/pixel resolution and printed on a walkable basketball court-size vinyl mat to spread awareness and excitement about Mars exploration!