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About

Csilla Orgel is a leading figure in planetary analogue research, specializing in Mars and lunar surface exploration mission simulations. Her work bridges the gap between terrestrial field studies and extraterrestrial operations, with a focus on optimizing scientific return from robotic and human missions. Orgel’s most impactful contribution is the MARS2013 Mars Analog Mission (40 citations), a four-week field test in the northern Sahara where she coordinated 19 experiments under simulated martian conditions, supervised remotely from Austria—a pioneering model for future planetary exploration. She also contributed to the ISECG-GER design reference mission for human lunar surface traverses (32 citations) and led integrated crewed simulations at the Rio Tinto Mars analogue site (22 citations), extracting critical lessons for real missions. Her recent work on characterizing high-priority landing sites in the Apollo Basin, Moon (13 citations) supports robotic exploration of the South Pole–Aitken basin. Orgel’s research has directly informed mission planning for both NASA and ESA, demonstrating how analogue studies can reduce risk and enhance science output. Her achievements include leading international field campaigns and shaping the next generation of planetary exploration strategies.