Robert Eugene Bourdeau (February 1, 1922 – March 5, 2010) was an American physicist known for major contributions to the study of the ionosphere, plasma physics and radio science using space vehicles including satellites and rockets.

Prior to his career at NASA Bourdeau worked at the Naval Research Laboratory and participated in the historic post-war V-2 rocket program at the White Sands Proving Ground.

After the V-2 program ended around 1946, Bourdeau concentrated mainly on Department of Defense classified research that included studies of atmospheric electricity.

Robert Bourdeau graduated from Turners Falls High School in 1939 and went on to study physics at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

While in college, Bourdeau contacted the United States Navy with the intention of serving during World War II.

Upon his graduation, he was commissioned an Ensign in the United States Navy and would eventually achieve the rank of Lieutenant.

He immediately joined the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) in Washington, D.C. During this phase of his career, Bourdeau worked on anti-submarine warfare including defense against the Henschel Hs 293, a German anti-ship guided missile.

The most manpower and highest priority were given to a team charged with the study of the radio propagation characteristics of the ionosphere, an area Bourdeau would continue to pursue in following years.

[4] After the V-2 rocket supply was used up, Bourdeau became involved in classified Department of Defense (DOD) programs in the Atmospheric Electricity Branch of NRL which was headed up by John F. Clark and T. Robert Burnight.

He logged 5,000 flight hours doing research that included blind landing approaches in hurricanes, analysis of airborne atomic debris and atmospheric electricity, especially in thunderstorms.

He immediately submitted a proposal for satellite research based on his V-2 experiments ten years earlier.

He did this by launching a sounding rocket with the proposed experiment from Fort Churchill in the Canadian Arctic in early 1960.

Although it is technically correct that "battery power failure" occurred on December 27, 1960, Bourdeau and his team intentionally chose a short life over the risk of solar panel technology which was in its infancy.

Ariel 1 was launched in 1962 and furthered his international reputation as a primary researcher in the field of ionospheric physics.

In 1962, he was awarded the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal "for major scientific advance in the study of the ionosphere and for significant technological progress in the understanding of the plasma sheath about satellites, in his assignment as Project Manager and Scientist on Explorer VIII, NASA's first satellite to investigate the ionosphere, and as Project Scientist of Ariel."

It failed in February 1970 and was replaced by BE-C.[8] BE-C (also known as Explorer 27) was launched on April 29, 1965, from Wallops Island, Virginia.

This satellite produced data until July 20, 1973, when it was turned off due to inference with higher priority spacecraft.

He hesitated over this decision because he feared losing touch with his beloved science but, in the end, he decided it was a challenge he should accept.

This portion of his career was cut short after he was hit by a drunk driver while in a crosswalk in Silver Spring, Maryland.