Peter Keresztes Schmidt

University of Bern, International Space Science Institute

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Peter Keresztes Schmidt is a pioneering aerospace engineer and instrument scientist whose work is shaping the future of *in situ* planetary exploration. His primary research focuses on developing advanced laser-based mass spectrometry (LIMS) for the direct chemical and mineralogical analysis of extraterrestrial surfaces, with a specific emphasis on lunar regolith. Schmidt’s major contribution is the design and integration of a complete sample handling system (SHS) that prepares lunar soil for precise laser ablation ionization, a critical step for obtaining high-fidelity compositional data. His 2023 paper on *In Situ Lunar Regolith Analysis by Laser-Based Mass Spectrometry* (10 citations) details the development of a LIMS instrument destined for a robotic mission under NASA’s Artemis CLPS program, marking a significant step toward autonomous geochemical surveys on the Moon. His 2025 work on the SHS (2 citations) provides the engineering blueprint for this system, demonstrating rigorous verification strategies. By bridging instrument design with mission-ready hardware, Schmidt is enabling a new era of resource mapping and geological understanding on the lunar surface, directly supporting the goals of sustained human exploration.