Person · Sunland, CA
Dr. Michael David Hicks
JPL asteroid and comet scientist. Planetary scientist at JPL from 1998 to 2022 who studied asteroids and comets. He served on the NEAT, Deep Space 1, Dawn and DART science teams, and an asteroid is named after him. He died at home in Sunland, CA, on 30 Jul 2023, aged 59. The NY Post story about him in April 2026 was the first mainstream piece to tie a death to the theory, and he is named in the House Oversight letters.
On the record
- Died 30 Jul 2023.
- List check (the press lists): partly right. Name, JPL career and 2023 death check out. The 'mysterious' framing does not: the coroner entry as reported lists natural causes.
- As the list had it: "10-name list, 18 Apr 2026 (r/dankmemes): Michael David Hicks, JPL. Press versions from about 9 Apr (NY Post, Daily Mail) call him a NASA asteroid scientist who died in 2023 with no public cause."
- Cause or status, as sourced: Arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, with morbid obesity as a significant condition; died at his residence; manner natural. This is the LA County Medical Examiner entry as reported by Men's Journal. The case status reportedly still shows 'open'. The primary record has not been seen by us.
- JPL research scientist from 1998 to 2022. Over 80 papers. Science teams of DART, NEAT, Dawn and Deep Space 1.
- Obituary: 'astronomer, artist and father', died Sunday 30 Jul 2023 in Sunland, CA.
- NEAT used the AFRL 1.2 m telescope at the Maui Space Surveillance site, as a NASA/JPL and AFRL partnership, 1995 to 2007.
- LA County coroner entry as reported: arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, manner natural, case shown as 'open'.
- His daughter told CNN there is 'no train of logic to follow that would implicate him'.
- His brother Steve told TMZ he will now 'be remembered for some baloney'.
Claims (5)
He is part of a pattern of suspicious JPL and space-science deaths.analysisSourced, unconfirmed
No public cause of death means a cover-up.speculationSourced, unconfirmed
His planetary defense work was secret 'space threat' work.speculationSourced, unconfirmed
He and Frank Maiwald were long-time co-workers.secondhandSourced, unconfirmed
Natural cardiovascular death.analysisSourced, unconfirmed
Connected
Astronomy, dark matter and planetary defense fieldRF, terahertz sensors and radiometers fieldAir Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) orgCaltech / IPAC orgNASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory orgNASA orgDr. Carl J. Grillmair personFrank W. Maiwald personMonica Jacinto Reza personMaj. Gen. William "Neil" McCasland person