Brett Shaffer
Papers
1
Total Citations
2
H-Index
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About
Brett Shaffer is a leading aerospace engineer whose work centers on autonomous navigation and hazard detection for planetary landers, with a particular focus on enabling safe, precise lunar and extraterrestrial touchdowns. His most significant contribution is the development and flight testing of Astrobotic’s Hazard Detection LiDAR system, a critical sensor suite designed to identify dangerous terrain in real time during descent. Shaffer’s 2025 paper on the system’s flight test results—already garnering early citations—documents how the scanning LiDAR and high-performance processing unit successfully mapped rugged analog sites in the Mojave Desert, proving the technology’s readiness for upcoming lunar missions. This work directly addresses one of space exploration’s hardest challenges: landing autonomously on an unknown, rocky surface without human intervention. By bridging the gap between laboratory algorithms and real-world flight performance, Shaffer has positioned his research as foundational for NASA’s Artemis program and commercial lunar delivery services. His achievements demonstrate a rare ability to translate complex sensor fusion and real-time hazard mapping into operational hardware, making him a pivotal figure in the next generation of robotic space exploration.
Research Focus
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Top Papers
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