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About

Thibaud Chupin is a key figure in the emerging field of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) and lunar polar exploration. His research focuses on the detection, mapping, and extraction of water ice and other volatiles at the Moon’s South Pole, a critical area for future sustainable human presence. Chupin’s major contributions center on the development of the Lunar Volatiles Mobile Instrumentation (LUVMI) project, a low-mass, mobile robotic payload designed to operate in the harsh, permanently shadowed regions of the lunar south pole. As documented in his 2019 paper, he was instrumental in developing the system’s volatiles sampler and analyzer, proving the feasibility of a lightweight, autonomous prospector. His 2022 concept study for the LUVMI-X mission (9 citations) further advanced this work, detailing how a rover could assess the distribution and accessibility of volatiles. This work is foundational for future missions seeking to “live off the land” on the Moon, directly supporting the goals of programs like Artemis. Chupin’s research bridges the gap between remote sensing data and the practical engineering required for resource extraction.