Elias Roussos  is an astrophysicist and researcher at Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Germany since 2005. He specializes in the investigation of Saturn and its satellites.

He was born in Athens in 1979. The Greek scientist started his studies in the University of Patras and continued his studies at physics at the University of Athens. The source of his interest in astrophysics was NASA’s missions, and above all Pathfinder’s landing on the planet Mars in 1997 and the Cassini spacecraft mission to Saturn.

He continued his studies at the International Space University in Strasbourg on topics related to the design of space programs and missions. The German Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) offered him a position and honored him for his doctoral thesis presented at the European Planetary Science Conference with the international distinction “Max Planck Society’s Otto-Hahn- Medal».

According to Mr. Roussos, Saturn itself is a miniature of a solar system, as it has the famous rings and about 60 moons, 10 of which are larger than the moon, while one, Titan, is comparable with earth.

Roussos’ research focuses on the study of Saturn’s space environment, the so-called magnetosphere, that is, the area where the magnetic field, that the planet produces, dominates the magnetic field of the sun. He is studying is the result of an experiment carried out at MPS and measures the high energy particles, like those trapped in Saturn’s magnetosphere. Monitoring this phenomenon is important for two main reasons. First, because these particles can damage the electronic systems of spacecraft approaching the planet. And secondly, because the bombardment of Saturn’s moons and moons by these high-energy particles alters their surface.