Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Amy Ross is a NASA engineer and researcher whose career spans the intersection of human spaceflight, extravehicular activity (EVA) systems, and planetary exploration technology. Best known for her contribution to the **SHERLOC instrument** aboard NASA's Perseverance rover — her most cited work with 237 citations — Ross has helped advance the frontier of astrobiology and Mars surface science through cutting-edge Raman and luminescence spectroscopy capable of detecting organics and chemicals in potentially habitable environments. Beyond Mars instrumentation, Ross has dedicated much of her career to preparing humans for deep space exploration. Through NASA Johnson Space Center's Advanced EVA program, she led and contributed to pivotal field research including the Desert Research and Technology Studies (D-RATS) campaigns and the landmark first Astronaut-Rover Interaction Field Test in 1999 — groundbreaking work that helped define how humans and robotic systems can collaborate during planetary surface missions. Her research into space suit glove design further reflects her commitment to solving the practical, biomechanical challenges astronauts face in the field. Ross's body of work represents a rare blend of hands-on field engineering and high-impact instrument development that continues to shape how humanity explores beyond Earth.