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About

L. L. Tornabene is a leading figure in planetary exploration, whose work bridges the gap between Earth-based analogue missions and the future of robotic and human spaceflight. His primary research focuses on impact cratering processes, planetary geology, and the development of mission architectures for sample return. Tornabene’s major contributions are exemplified by his leadership in the CanMars Mars Sample Return analogue mission, a highly cited (33 citations) field campaign that simulated the complexities of a robotic sample return from the Red Planet. He also pioneered a mission control architecture for robotic lunar sample return, tested during an analogue deployment to the Sudbury impact structure, which has garnered 16 citations and provided a foundational framework for future operations. His innovative instrument design includes TEMMI, a three-dimensional multispectral microscope imager for planetary missions, and he has conducted detailed morphologic mapping and traverse planning for a rover-based lunar sample return to Schrödinger Basin—a high-priority NASA landing site for a 2024 mission. With a career dedicated to advancing our understanding of planetary surfaces and the practical strategies needed to explore them, Tornabene’s work is essential reading for students and researchers in planetary science and mission planning.