Matthew Nugent
Papers
2
Total Citations
22
H-Index
2
About
Matthew Nugent is a leading researcher in planetary construction and in-situ resource utilization (ISRU), with a focus on developing robotic technologies for building infrastructure on the Moon and Mars. His major contributions center on advancing autonomous excavation, site preparation, and additive construction methods using simulated extraterrestrial regolith. Nugent’s work on the Planetary Basalt Field Project, in partnership with PISCES and NASA Kennedy Space Center, demonstrated the feasibility of constructing lunar launch and landing pads from local materials—a critical capability for sustainable space exploration. This project, cited 19 times, led to his involvement in NASA’s Additive Construction with Mobile Emplacement (ACME) initiative. More recently, he developed the Advanced Regolith Ground Operations (ARGO) Test Bed, a state-of-the-art facility that simulates lunar environments for testing robotic excavation and construction systems. Though early in citation impact (3 citations), ARGO represents a pivotal step toward Artemis program goals. Nugent’s work bridges terrestrial construction robotics and space exploration, earning him recognition as a key contributor to NASA’s vision for a permanent lunar presence.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2