Erik Langert
Papers
1
Total Citations
7
H-Index
1
About
Dr. Erik Langert is a leading researcher in autonomous planetary exploration and robotic site selection, with a focus on enabling real-time decision-making for space missions. His major contributions center on developing onboard autonomy systems that replace traditional, time-intensive ground-in-the-loop processes, significantly accelerating mission operations. His most cited work, "ARIEL: Autonomous Excavation Site Selection for Europa Lander Mission Concept" (2020, 7 citations), introduces the ARIEL system—a novel framework for autonomously ranking and selecting excavation locations on icy moons like Europa. This work addresses a critical bottleneck in planetary science, where remote communication delays make real-time ground control impractical. By demonstrating how spacecraft can independently evaluate terrain and scientific value, Langert’s research directly supports NASA’s Europa Lander concept, enhancing mission efficiency and resilience. His achievements reflect a broader impact on autonomous robotics for extreme environments, positioning him as a key contributor to next-generation space exploration technologies.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1