March 17, 2026
James Johnson
Space Resources & Habitation: Living off the Land
Our speaker–also a current PhD candidate at the Colorado School of Mines–will discuss how the identification, extraction and utilization of space resources can enable sustainable human presence beyond Earth.
Drawing on principles of self-sufficiency, growth and functional independence, the first principles of habitation–sustenance, shelter, sanitation and psychology–can be connected with the emerging field of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). The discussion will examine what makes a resource viable, how ISRU-derived materials might support exploration, and who the customers for these capabilities could be. By integrating technical concepts, economic frameworks, policy considerations and evolving mission architectures, this Talk will frame a pathway from early exploratory missions to progressively “living off the land” in space.
Featured Speaker:
James Johnson – Senior Systems Engineer
NASA’s Habitation Systems Development Office
In addition to his work as Senior Systems Engineer within NASA’s Habitation Systems Development Office at Marshall Space Flight Center, James Johnson is a doctoral candidate at the Colorado School of Mines researching space resource-based life support architectures for early lunar habitation systems. He holds more than 22 years of experience in human spaceflight operations, spacecraft concept development, systems engineering, strategic leadership and project management across Johnson Space Center, NASA headquarters and the Missile Defense Agency.
Notable accomplishments include supporting 18 space shuttle missions as an Emergency, Environmental and Consumables Management (EECOM) flight controller, serving as NASA’s Lead Systems Engineer for its analog mission campaigns, supporting development and partner integration for the first dedicated lunar habitat. James is a recipient of both Joint Chiefs of Staff Civilian Service Commendation Medal and Honorable Order of Saint Barbara Air Defense Artillery Award for his work in supporting the Department of Defense.
Apart from his current doctoral efforts, James holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and an M.E. in Space Systems Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology.
Featured Brewery: Holidaily Brewing Company
How This Works
The Buffalo Rose will open at 6:00 p.m. Food and drink service will begin at 6:00 p.m. and the program will begin around 6:30 p.m. Following the presentation, we’ll take a brief intermission for Q + A. We’ll wrap up around 7:45 p.m., but people are welcome to stay a bit longer to chat with the speakers.
Please check out podcasts of Past Talks.