Tom Ebert

About

Tom Ebert is a leading researcher in space robotics and In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU), focusing on the development of autonomous systems for extraterrestrial exploration and resource extraction. His most notable contribution is the Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot (RASSOR), a pioneering robotic platform designed to excavate and process regolith on the Moon, Mars, and asteroids to extract valuable resources like oxygen, hydrogen, and metals for rocket propellant, life support, and radiation shielding. This work, cited 52 times, has become a foundational reference in planetary mining robotics. Ebert has also advanced free-flying unmanned robotic systems for prospecting missions, developing control laws and vision-aided navigation strategies to enable autonomous sample capture and characterization on hazardous interplanetary bodies. Additionally, his research on soft regolith dynamic anchors addresses the challenge of stable surface operations in loose, granular terrains, with simulations and testing demonstrating novel anchoring mechanisms for landers and rovers. Through these contributions, Ebert is shaping the future of sustainable space exploration, enabling missions that can “live off the land” by harnessing local resources.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot (RASSOR)

   52 citations · 2013
2. 2
   Control Laws Development for a Free-Flying Unmanned Robotic System to Support Interplanetary Bodies Prospecting and Characterization Missions

   6 citations · 2016
3. 3
   Simulation of soft regolith dynamic anchors for celestial exploration

   6 citations · 2016
4. 4
   Vision-Aided Navigation for a Free-Flying Unmanned Robotic System to Support Interplanetary Bodies Prospecting and Characterization Missions

   4 citations · 2016
5. 5
   Testing of Soft Regolith Dynamic Anchors for Celestial Exploration

   2 citations · 2016

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links