Greg Mungas

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About

Greg Mungas is a pioneering aerospace engineer whose work bridges the frontiers of planetary exploration, in-situ resource utilization, and robotic mobility. His primary research areas include advanced optical instrumentation for spaceflight, laser spectroscopy for surface chemistry analysis, and innovative rover wheel design for extreme terrain. Mungas is best known as the lead developer of the CHAMP (Camera, Hand Lens, and Microscope Probe) instrument—a revolutionary field microscope capable of continuously variable spatial resolution from macroscopic imaging down to diffraction-limited microscopy at ~3 μm/pixel. This breakthrough, detailed in his 2005 paper (4 citations), enables robotic arm-mounted stereo-imaging for unprecedented geological analysis on other worlds. He further advanced this technology with the CHAMP-SLS system, coupling high-resolution microscopy with scannable laser spectroscopy to selectively analyze individual pixel surface chemistry—a capability critical for next-generation robotic and manned missions. Mungas also contributed to lunar in-situ resource prospecting through Raman/CHAMP instrument design for characterizing lunar regolith volatiles and minerals. His SILVRCLAW III wheel design work (2007, 2 citations) addressed fundamental Mars exploration goals by enhancing robotic mobility across diverse, challenging terrains, enabling longer traverses for surface investigation.