Rebekah Lam

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About

Rebekah Lam is a planetary scientist and aerospace engineer whose research centers on spacecraft–surface interactions for icy world exploration, particularly for NASA’s proposed Europa Lander mission. Her most-cited work, “Europa Lander Engine Plume Interactions with the Surface and Vehicle” (2020), examines how landing engine plumes disturb Europa’s icy regolith—critical for ensuring that surface samples remain uncontaminated for biosignature detection. By modeling plume-induced erosion and redeposition, Lam’s analysis directly informs the design of JPL’s Sky Crane landing system, ensuring the lander can safely touch down without compromising its scientific payload. Though her citation count is modest (2 citations), her contribution is highly specialized and mission-critical: her findings help define operational constraints for one of NASA’s most ambitious astrobiology missions. Lam’s work bridges propulsion engineering and planetary protection, demonstrating how even a single, focused study can shape the trajectory of a flagship exploration program. For students and researchers in planetary science or aerospace engineering, her research exemplifies the importance of understanding environmental interactions when designing landers for extreme, low-gravity worlds.