Alan Kharsansky
Papers
1
Total Citations
2
H-Index
1
About
Alan Kharsansky is a visionary aerospace engineer and planetary scientist whose work centers on enabling sustainable human exploration of the Moon and beyond. His primary research areas include lunar polar infrastructure, in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), and deployable surface systems. Kharsansky’s most notable contribution is the Multifunctional Expandable Lunar Lite & Tall Tower (MELLTT), a concept that proposes a 20-meter tower on the lunar South Pole to provide power, communications, and access to permanently shadowed regions (PSRs) rich in water ice. This innovative design, developed as part of an MIT Big Idea Challenge, addresses critical challenges of lunar exploration—such as solar illumination and extreme cold—by combining deployable structures with ISRU capabilities. While his 2020 paper on MELLTT has garnered 2 citations, its influence extends through its integration into NASA’s broader exploration objectives for the Moon. Kharsansky’s work represents a forward-thinking approach to building the infrastructure needed for a permanent lunar presence, inspiring students and researchers to tackle the engineering hurdles of space settlement.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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