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About

Tianqi Xie is a planetary scientist whose research focuses on Mars analogue missions, sample return strategies, and the geological processes shaping the Red Planet. Their most notable contribution is the landmark paper "The CanMars Mars Sample Return analogue mission" (2018), which has garnered 33 citations and serves as a foundational reference for simulating the complexities of returning Martian samples to Earth. This work demonstrates Xie's expertise in designing and executing field campaigns that mimic real Mars exploration scenarios, integrating geological field studies with robotic operations to test sample selection, caching, and retrieval protocols. By bridging the gap between terrestrial analogue studies and actual space missions, Xie's research directly informs the scientific and operational frameworks for future sample return endeavors, such as NASA's Mars Sample Return campaign. Their contributions are critical for ensuring that returned samples are scientifically valuable and collected under realistic constraints. With a focus on high-fidelity mission simulations, Tianqi Xie continues to shape the next generation of planetary exploration, making their work essential reading for students and researchers in astrobiology, planetary geology, and space mission planning.