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About

Lusi Wang is a leading figure in planetary sampling technology, whose work has been pivotal to China’s lunar exploration program. Her primary research areas encompass robotic drilling systems, extraterrestrial regolith mechanics, and the development of extreme-environment simulation facilities. Wang’s most significant contribution is her central role in the Chang’E 5 mission, where she led the design and development of the 2-meter-class robotic drill that successfully penetrated one meter into the lunar regolith and retrieved 259.72 grams of samples—the first lunar sample return in over 40 years. Her 2023 paper on this achievement, with 20 citations, details the drill’s engineering, terrestrial validation, and historic on-site performance. Building on this success, Wang is now pioneering technologies for future polar missions, as evidenced by her 2025 work on a thermal-vacuum regolith simulator designed to replicate the harsh conditions of the lunar south pole for drilling tests. This facility is critical for understanding water ice distribution—a key resource for sustained lunar habitation. With her work bridging robotic engineering and planetary science, Wang is shaping the next generation of in-situ resource utilization and sample-return missions.