Timothy Bandy

University of Bern, International Space Science Institute

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Timothy Bandy is a pioneering aerospace engineer and instrument scientist whose work is central to NASA’s Artemis program and the future of in situ planetary exploration. His primary research focuses on developing advanced laser-based mass spectrometry (LIMS) and sample handling systems for lunar surface operations. Bandy’s most significant contribution is the design and testing of a novel LIMS instrument capable of real-time chemical and mineralogical analysis of lunar regolith, a critical capability for resource identification and geological mapping on the Moon. His 2023 paper on this topic, with 10 citations, details the instrument’s integration into a robotic mission under NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. In his 2025 work, Bandy further advanced the field by engineering a robust sample handling system (SHS) that prepares lunar soil for laser ablation ionization, ensuring reliable, contamination-free analysis in the harsh lunar environment. With a total of 12 citations across his most-cited papers, Bandy’s impact is already evident in the space science community. His achievements represent a key step toward sustainable human presence on the Moon, enabling astronauts and rovers to conduct rapid, on-site geochemical surveys without returning samples to Earth.