Papers
2
Total Citations
5
H-Index
2
About
S.T.H. Jansen is a planetary scientist and instrumentation specialist whose work centers on Martian geophysics and sensor fusion for space exploration. Jansen’s most prominent contribution is as a key team member for the **HP³ (Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package)** experiment aboard NASA’s **InSight Mission**, which landed on Mars in 2018. This instrument was designed to measure the planet’s internal heat flow by burrowing up to five meters below the surface—a first for any Mars mission—providing critical data on the thermal evolution and tectonic activity of the Red Planet. Despite the mole’s eventual inability to reach target depth, the experiment yielded invaluable insights into Martian regolith properties and operational challenges. Jansen’s work also addresses a fundamental sensor fusion problem: how to integrate measurements from redundant sensors operating at vastly different frequencies. Their 2014 paper on bridging low-frequency estimates with high-frequency data offers a practical framework for improving state estimation in robotic and geophysical systems. With publications cited in the context of flagship NASA missions and advanced estimation theory, Jansen bridges the gap between planetary science and engineering, advancing both our understanding of Mars and the tools used to explore it.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1HP<sup>3</sup>– Experiment on InSight Mission – Operations on Mars3 citations · 2018
- 2Filling the gap between low frequency measurements with their estimates2 citations · 2014