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About

Carlton Allen is a leading figure in planetary science, with research focused on asteroid resource utilization, lunar exploration, and in-situ geological analysis. His most influential work centers on the feasibility of capturing and returning entire Near-Earth Asteroids (NEAs) to the International Space Station (ISS). In his landmark 2011 study, cited 39 times, Allen demonstrated the technological viability of finding, characterizing, and robotically capturing an NEA for scientific investigation and resource evaluation, laying foundational groundwork for future asteroid mining and planetary defense strategies. He further advanced this concept in a companion paper (10 citations), solidifying his role in shaping NASA's early asteroid return mission concepts. Beyond asteroids, Allen has contributed to lunar science, developing in-situ XRF measurement techniques using Apollo samples as standards (4 citations) and proposing a lunar reference suite to support instrument testing for long-duration missions. His work on a multispectral micro-imager for lunar field geology (2 citations) aims to equip astronauts with tools for real-time petrogenetic classification, enhancing sample selection efficiency on the Moon. With a career spanning both robotic and human exploration, Allen’s research directly informs the next generation of space missions, bridging the gap between terrestrial field geology and extraterrestrial resource assessment.