Maurizio Ercoli

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About

Maurizio Ercoli is a planetary scientist specializing in Mars analog mission research, with a focus on subsurface geophysical exploration and sample analysis techniques. His major contributions center on the AMADEE-18 mission, a large-scale human-robotic Mars simulation conducted in the Dhofar region of Oman. Ercoli led the ScanMars subsurface radar sounding experiment, which tested ground-penetrating radar technologies for detecting buried geological structures and potential water ice—critical for future crewed Mars missions. He also contributed to the laboratory analysis of returned samples from the mission, helping to characterize the mineralogical and geochemical properties of the analog site. His work has garnered over 25 citations, with his most cited paper (13 citations) detailing the sample analysis protocol. Ercoli’s research is notable for bridging field operations and remote science activities, demonstrating how real-time data interpretation can guide exploration decisions during simulated planetary surface missions. His achievements highlight the importance of terrestrial analogs in validating instrumentation and operational strategies for upcoming Mars exploration campaigns.