Christopher B. Dreyer

About

Christopher B. Dreyer is a leading researcher in planetary surface exploration and *in situ* resource utilization (ISRU), with a focus on developing technologies to extract and utilize resources from the Moon, asteroids, and Mars. His most impactful work, the 2018 paper on a new experimental capability for studying regolith surface physical properties (26 citations), provides foundational knowledge for both science missions and resource extraction. Dreyer pioneered the concept of **Optical Mining**, an innovative approach to excavate volatile-rich asteroids by using concentrated sunlight to drive off water and other valuable materials for propellant and mission consumables, as detailed in his 2016 papers (7 and 6 citations). He also led the development of the **GRITS** robotic instrument for grinding rocks into thin sections (2013, 9 citations), enabling *in situ* geological analysis. More recently, his work on high-frequency drilling data analysis (2020, 4 citations) has advanced the ability to characterize water-ice on the Moon by estimating moisture content from drilling patterns. Dreyer’s contributions are critical to enabling sustainable human exploration of the solar system, bridging the gap between planetary science and practical space resource engineering.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   A new experimental capability for the study of regolith surface physical properties to support science, space exploration, and <i>in situ</i> resource utilization (ISRU)

   26 citations · 2018
2. 2
   Robotic Instrument for Grinding Rocks Into Thin Sections (GRITS)

   9 citations · 2013
3. 3
   A Coordinated Research Program to Develop the Technology to Optical Mine Asteroids

   7 citations · 2016
4. 4
   Optical Mining Subscale Testing

   6 citations · 2016
5. 5
   High-Frequency Drilling Data Analysis to Characterize Water-Ice on the Moon

   4 citations · 2020

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links